Welcome to Tampa
by Malabrigo
Summary: Melissa has relocated to Tampa to work as FCW's new costume designer. As she tries to adjust to her new life, she also tries to adjust to a new love.
1. First Day Jitters

CHAPTER ONE

Melissa had just moved down to sunny Tampa from the blistering cold that was Boston. Florida was unfamiliar to her. She only faced humidity for three months of the year. It was going to take her a while to become acclimated with Florida. She was used to moving around a little, but had settled back in Boston - where she grew up - a few years prior. She was planning on staying there forever; getting married, buying a house, raising a family, but all that changed a few weeks ago when she was offered a job working in a profession she only dreamed about.

It was Melissa's first day as costume designer for Florida Championship Wrestling. She was offered the job without a formal interview. Melissa's first love was social work, but it didn't pay the bills. Since she knew how to sew and had a love of wrestling, she contacted the local training academy and offered to design costumes for upcoming talent on the cheap. Triple H was scouting cities for new talent and had attended a show in the area. He was impressed with a few performers, but mostly with the costumes she had designed. Melissa had been in attendance that evening to check out her handiwork and see what adjustments needed to be made. She had no idea that Triple H would be talking to her at ring side about signing on to work for the WWE.

Less than two weeks later she finds herself standing outside the training center for FCW in Tampa. The anxiety was mounting in her lungs. Melissa got back inside her car and thought for a few minutes. She was early for her first day so she had time to contemplate this decision. A million thoughts raced through her head. She was worried that she wasn't good enough and that they'd discover that within minutes of meeting her. She worried about deadlines. She worried about meeting the talent. Would she completely geek out the minute she met someone on the WWE roster? She ran her hands through her long, straight brown hair and glanced at the clock. 8:55am. She was due to arrive at 9am. Being on time was being late.

She slowly opened the front door of the facility and smoothed out the front of her green dress. There were already about five guys and a few women scattered around the fitness equipment. One man, who was hitting a punching bag, stopped and glanced up at her.

"Hi" she squeaked out. "I'm Melissa Anderson. Here to start my first day as costume designer"

She was talking to Windham Rotunda, or Husky Harris, as he was known from his time in NXT. A second generation talent who had been sent back down to FCW for a little tune up. "Yeah, ok" he grunted out. "You probably want to talk to Ben"

"Melissa?" yelled a man from across the gym.

"That's Ben." Husky said pointing.

"Thanks for your help" she half smiled and walked towards the chubby man walking towards her in the brown suit.

Wearing a huge smile on his face, Ben held his arms open as he approached her. "Well, you found us! It's so nice to meet you" he said taking her hand in his. "Paul said wonderful things about your work. We're excited to see what ideas you can bring to the table. Paul mentioned you have a back ground in theatre and costume design"

Melissa nodded her head. To say openly that she did would be a lie, but she did take a technical theatre course in college. As far as she was concerned, that counted.

"Great" Ben continued. "We're really hoping you can be very involved in bringing our character ideas to life. Most people come in to train Monday mornings so it's a good day to meet everyone. I'll show you to your office and we'll gather everyone around 10:15am. Sound good?"

"Sounds great" she replied nervously. Melissa was intimidated by Ben's intensity.

Ben and Melissa walked down a small hallway in the back that led to all the FCW offices. Ben flipped a light switch in the third room on the left. "This is where you'll be. Our previous designer was here for a few years so she left some things behind"

"This is some amazing equipment!" Melissa replied bending down to look at the Jenome sewing machine and serger that were lined up next to each other. "This is what I have at home. It's perfect" She wouldn't dare mention she had never worked before with a serger.

"Well, take some time to get acquainted with your space. You're going to spending a lot of time in here. I'm two offices away from you if you need anything. After the meeting we'll touch base. I know you already met with headquarters on your way down here. Everything is in order"

"Great. I'll see you later then. Thank you" Melissa could breathe a sign of relief. So far, the two people that she met were friendly, but she was still intimidated. FCW was a cutthroat atmosphere and she couldn't help but feel that she was going to be watched under the same scrutiny as the talent.

There was a knock at the door. It was Ben again. "Hey Melissa." Melissa whipped her head around. "I wanted to let you know that we already have a few people for you to meet with today. One, Ryan Reeves, you may know as Skip Sheffield, is rebranding himself as a face after coming off an injury. So he'll need your assistance making some vests. He's going to embrace that cowboy persona he had in NXT. The other, Stu Bennett, or Wade Barrett, is stopping by for shorts measurements. Julia sent me an email and she forgot to measure him at Smackdown on Tuesday. She wants to have them done for him by the next show taping. Is that cool?"

Melissa felt her face heat up. "Yeah, that's definitely fine. When can I expect them?" Stu Bennett was her favorite on the current WWE roster. She loved the dominating cockiness of his character. The way he marched to the ring barking orders at his lackys. She loved his tattoo (she had a few herself), his thighs, his accent. Everything about him was attractive to her. What a great, and terrifying, first day she had lined up.

"Not sure about Stu, but Ryan is here now if you want me to send him in?"

"Um, yeah that'd be fine. Give me, like….five minuntes?" Melissa replied while her eyes searched the room for supplies. _I need to locate a tape measure and some paper_, she thought._ And a pencil. What the hell else do I need? _


	2. Measurements

There was another knock at the door. "Morning!" the voice shouted. He was still blaring music from his headphones and was covered in sweat. "Melissa?" he yelled at her. He was standing only three feet away from her. She recognized him as Skip Sheffield and knew that he was a rambunctious personality.

"Yes. Hi. You're Ryan, right?"

He took out his earbuds, nodding his head. "Yup. How ya doin?"

"Great…." Ryan noticed that Melissa was clearly distracted by something. "I'm sorry. I'm a little out of sorts. It's my first day here and...I just need to find the things….I need. Sorry, I don't want to hold you up" She already felt like she was blowing it on her first day.

Ryan was surprised by her apologetic nature. "No, it's cool. I've been here since 7am. I'm so close to getting back into that ring" he said measuring the closeness between his thumb and pointer fingers.

Melissa rummaged through the desk drawer, pulling out a pencil. "You broke your ankle, correct?"

Ryan was running in place and moving his neck from side to side. "Yeah, almost a year or so ago. Feels like forever"

"That injury takes a while to heal. I'm familiar with those types of fractures"

He looked down and saw the scar on her left ankle. "Did you have ankle surgery?"

"Yeah, I took a stupid fall a few years ago and they put some hardware in there. I understand the pain. The humidity..."

"...its the worst, right?" he said with a smile. "I'd never broken a bone before and I had no idea what the effects of the break were going to be like"

"You just have to get used to it. I'm still really unsteady on my feet." Melissa whipped a tape measure out of one of the desk drawers. "Ah! Here we go. Ready to get started?"

Ryan clapped his hands together. "Yes ma'am. What do you need me to do?"

"Just stand still. I'm measuring you for some of those Skip Sheffield cowboy vests, yes?" Melissa had found the note Ben left on the desk. "I have down here I'll be making about five for you?"

"Go by the paper. I'm not entirely sure myself"

Melissa dragged a sturdy step stool over. She was only 5'3" and Skip was a towering 6'2". She needed some height in order to see what she was doing. She wrapped the tape around Ryan's sweaty chest. The sweat helped keep the tape in place. "Were you thinking of any colors or patterns for yourself?" she said writing his chest measurement on her left hand. Melissa never used paper. She knew she would lose it if she did.

"Nah. Haven't given it much thought. Honestly. You're the expert. Any recommendations?"

"I'd love to do one for you in brown and white cow print. That'd be sharp" she replied.

"Shahp?" he repeated with a chuckle. "Where are you from?"

"Oh crap. I've worked so hard on getting rid of my accent. I'm from Boston... Can you turn? I'm going to get your shoulders"

Ryan turned around. "Did you move all the way down here for this job?"

"MMhmm. I needed a change. It's nice to check out new places. And I'm excited to be doing this" she said smiling. And she meant it. She was thrilled for the change of scenery. Life had been fairly stagnant in Boston. The routine of her day job was getting to her. She had been single forever and never had a real relationship. Sure, there were men in her life, but none of them wanted to give her what she wanted: a relationship. Melissa had recently lost a fair amount of weight and thought it might be best if she start over in a new city to accommodate her new figure.

"Have you always been doing costumes?"

"Nope. I'm a licensed social worker, actually. I'm also glad to not be doing that anymore"

"I can imagine. Must be so stressful" There was a comfortable silence between them as Melissa ran the tape measure across his shoulder. She wanted to talk to him, but she was concentrating too hard on taking accurate measurements. "Are you even unpacked yet?"

"Oh yes. I didnt want to start work until I was settled. Been here about a week now and my apartment looks very lived in" she said laughing. "Okay, that about does it. When are you expected back in the ring?"

"Last they told me it was a few weeks"

Melissa stepped down off of the stool. "Well, I'll have these done in plenty of time. You're my first assignment. I have no idea how quickly the work is going to mount up, but where you're returning to the WWE roster, I'd imagine you'd be pretty high up on my list of priorities" Melissa walked to her desk to scribble the measurements down on a piece of paper for insurance sake.

Suddenly there was another knock on the door. Melissa expected it to be Ben grabbing her for the meeting. "Am I interrupting anything?" asked the figure at the door. Melissa recognized that deep voice and British accent. Before she could say anything, Ryan's excitement had already cut through the tension that was mounting in her head.

"Oh man! Stu Bennett! How are ya, man?" Ryan beamed, running over to shake his hand.

"Very well. You getting back in action soon?" he asked. Melissa glanced up at them and smiled nervously. It was not time for her to introduce herself to him, and even if it was, she wasn't ready to speak. Instead she busied herself looking through the craft desk for more supplies.

"Any day now. Melissa was just measuring me for my vests. I've bulked up a little since the break. Couldn't work out my legs, so I went a little crazy on my arms"

"Arms!" Melissa yelled. They both glanced over at her with confused smiles on their faces. Her face turned bright red. Her voice quieted down. "That's what I forgot to do...Your arms," she dragged the step stool back over.

"Stu. This is Melissa" he said laughing. "She's the new FCW costume designer"

"Pleasure to meet you, Melissa" he said extending his hand. "I hear today is your first day of employment here"

"Yes" Melissa was keeping it simple so as to not embarrass herself too terribly. "Sorry to hold you guys up. Ryan, I know you need to get back to working on your legs. And Stu, this must be your only day off. This will be quick" She wrapped the tape around ryan's bicep quickly and then measured from his arm pit to his waist. She leaned over to the left side. The boys didn't seem bothered by being held up and were making small talk. They had a lot to catch up on. Ryan discussed his problems with the ladies while Stu talked about the problems of sharing a hotel room with Heath Miller. Melissa could tell that they had been close while on the road together.

"All set" Melissa said.

"Are you sure now?" Stu asked winking at her and holding out his hand to help her down the stool.

She smiled. "Yes. Positive" She ran over to the desk to scribble the new measurements with the others.

"Listen, man, a few of us are going to Hyde Park House tonight to get some drinks. Interested?"

"Sure. Who is going?"

"Me, Matt, Heath. Maybe PJ and Barbie"

"Yeah, sounds great"

Ryan looked over at Melissa. "Melissa, are you free? The house is a great place. You should check it out."

"Oh, thank you, but I have plans" Melissa wasn't lying. Even if she was free, she probably would pass. It was too soon to throw herself in to this world.

"Plans?" Ryan asked. "You just moved here like a week ago"

"Yeah, I'm going to a show over at The Independent. Rocky Votolato is playing" she excitedly shared with them.

"Who?" they said in unison.

"He's like an indie singer. Anyway, thanks for the invite"

"Well, the house is like two blocks from The Independent. Just come over when the show gets out" Stu said.

"I'm sure we'll still be there" Ryan added glancing over at Stu. "Great to see you man. Looking forward to tonight"

"Likewise" Stu turned his attention to Melissa. "So, how much of this do I need to take off?" Stu was intentionally being forward to make her uncomfortable. He knew that his presence intimidated her. He did find her attractive, but he was still trying to feel her out. She wasn't the skinniest girl and she certainly was unlike other women he had been interested in. Melissa was a little more alternative. He found the cherry blossom tattoo on the back of her leg sexy. It was a feminine design, but she still gave her a bit of an edge. He wondered if she was a bad girl or a good girl with a bad streak. He decided he could work with either.

She walked over towards the desk and leaned against it. "Do you have your trunks with you? Because we can we can get an idea of where adjustments need to be made based off of those"

"Perfect. Yes, Julia told me to bring them. I wore them here actually"

"You're like Superman then" she said taking a sip of water from her bottle. Her mouth was so dry from nervousness.

He chuckled. "I suppose. Can I just remove my clothes here?" he asked.

"Of course. Get comfortable" She sat down at the lap top on her desk and turned it on. She needed to busy herself and not just watch him undress. She still found herself watching him slowly disrobe out of the corner of her eye. He lifted the grey t-shirt he was wearing over his head in one quick swoop. Melissa wasn't quite sure why he was taking it off since she wouldn't be measuring his chest. He then undid his belt and stepped out of his jeans. His thighs looks more muscular in person. She swallowed nervously and darted her eyes towards the blue screen of the lap top. She was afraid he had caught her staring. He had. He folded his clothes neatly and walked over to her desk, placing them down in front of her.

He looked down at her. "I'm ready for you." he smiled. He only took his shirt of to tease her. He enjoyed watching her squirm in his presence.

Melissa cleared her throat. "Great," she said shutting her lap top. "This will be quick. Before I measure you, are there any places where the shorts are uncomfortable?"

He motioned towards those thighs of his. "Well, the legs are a little tight. Everything just feels a little tight" He brought his hands together to illustrate his point.

Melissa nodded. "Alright, well, let's measure everything, I guess"

He laughed. "Sorry to make this difficult for you"

She dismissed his comment. "Oh, please. This is what I'm here for. I'm really being thrown in to it so far. Best way to learn"

"Well, thats the style of the WWE. They wouldn't have brought you in here if they didn't think you were capable of handling it"

She smiled. "I guess that's true." She wrapped the tape measure around his right thigh. "How have you found your experience to be so far?" She was amazed at how well this was going. Aside from the "Arms!" outburst a few minutes ago, her verbal diarrhea had subsided.

"So far, so good. I'm just enjoying it right now. I can't believe how lucky I am"

She switched over to his left thigh. "Well, you worked hard to get here"

"Naturally" he agreed. "I just wonder what I did to deserve all this"

She stood up and looked at him. "Like I said, you worked hard. You're the intercontinental champion right now! I'm sure your in ring ability combined with your amazing mic skills and natural heel..." She stopped suddenly when a smile crept across his face. "what?"

"Nothing." He was impressed with her knowledge about him. He found her child like excitement about his career to be endearing. "You're just...speaking so matter of factly about all this. You're a fan, I take it?"

She smiled in return and wrapped the tape around his waist. "Guilty as charged" she responded. She looked down at the ground. "I'm actually a pretty big fan of yours" Here comes the verbal diarrhea.

"I figured" he chuckled. She turned red for the millionth time. "And thats why. You've done nothing but blush since the moment you saw me" He'd called her out on her natural embarrassment. Stu was loving every minute of this.

Melissa wasn't quite sure what to say, so she went with her old stand by: an apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Please, sweetheart, I'm not uncomfortable at all. I'm used to women throwing themselves at me" he winked at her again. She blushed further. "I didn't think it was possible for you to become more flushed"

She looked up at him. "After this I just start sweating" she responded. And there it was. That verbal diarrhea. She bit her lower lip in embarrassment. "Um, I need to just measure the length on the side and we're all set. Is it comfortable at the length it's at or would you like them to be a little longer"

"A little longer would be great...Listen, I'd love for you to come out with us after the show you're going to. You're new in town and it would be great for you to meet some of the guys." Stu was now enamored with her. Now he knew she was a good girl. A shy girl with a rebellious streak. He wanted nothing more than to bring out her wild side and nurture it. He figured that a few beers or shots tonight would do the trick.

She scribbled the measurements on the inside of her left hand. "I'd like that" She walked over to her desk and grabbed his clothing. "I'm all done. Thank you for being so patient."

He lightly touched her hand when he took his clothes from her. This sent shivers down her spine. Even after she had just had her hands all over the lower half of his body, meticulously measuring every inch of him, this was the type of contact she craved. "Would you hold the shirt for a second, love?" She nodded and he proceeded to put his pants on. He noticed her staring at him again. She didn't realize she was staring at him as he got dressed. He liked that her eyes were fixated on his chest. Melissa bit her lower lip. Stu knew she was day dreaming about him in that moment. Should he go over to her, brush the hair out of her face, kiss her and proceed to give her what he knew she wanted in her office? No. He would wait for later. He took the shirt from her hands and slid it down his hard chest and abs.

"I'll see you tonight then. Thank you for doing this. I love getting new shorts." he winked, checked his pocket for his keys and walked towards the door. "Oh, and, uh, Welcome to FCW"

"Thank you" she responded with a smile. She looked at the clock. 10:15am. She should get ready for the meeting.


	3. Closing the Place Down

**Thanks to everyone that has read this story. This is my first ever attempt at this type of thing. Please comment and let me know how I'm doing. Thanks!**

Melissa emerged from The Independent around 11:30pm. Even though her ears were ringing from her live music experience, she put her ear buds in and walked the two blocks to Hyde Park House. She took her time making sure to make the most of the gorgeous Tampa weather. She had left Boston in the middle of March, when there was still snow on the ground. She was going to savor these balmy nights.

Her anxiety was getting the best of her as she entered yet another unfamiliar situation that day. She went back and forth in her mind a thousand times as to whether or not she should just walk home and forget about meeting up with Stu and the others. She knew it was not going to lead to anything except probably an embarrassing situation. Hyde Park House was far closer than Stu had estimated and she arrived in the middle of her anxious contemplation.

Melissa looked up to see Stu and Ryan waving her towards them. They were seated with a huge group of people outside. She was thankful that they also did not take this beautiful weather for granted either.

"Hey! I'll be right in!" she yelled back, wrapping her ear buds around her ipod. She walked to the front door handing her out of state ID to the bouncer. He glanced at the ID and back at her about four times before letting her in. Melissa pushed the door open and immediately looked over to her right. The bar was practically empty inside aside from a few couples seated at the bar. The DJ was blasting the hits of the 90s and anyone that wanted to have a real conversation was forced outside. She scanned the bar from right to left trying to figure out how to get outside to meet with everyone else. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, hello Miss Melissa. So glad you decided to join us," greeted the Englishman. He was wearing a black graphic print t-shirt and the same jeans as earlier. "I thought it would be proper of me to meet you at the entrance. This place can be confusing." He held up his pint of beer. "Can I get you a drink?"

Melissa nodded. Stu placed his hand on her lower back and guided her in the direction of the bar. She looked gorgeous to him from behind. She filled out the dark denim jeans she was wearing nicely. A black scoop neck t-shirt and a grey vest hugged her rich curves and helped her cleavage peek up towards him. Her conservative dress made him wonder just what she was hiding underneath. The other girls around didn't leave much to the imagination. She scanned the beers on tap. "I'll have a Stella."

Stu held his glass in the air towards the bartender and raised two fingers. He could tell from her lack of engaging dialog that she was nervous to be in his presence. He was prepared to work hard to get her to engage with him. "How was the show?" he asked sincerely.

She smiled. "It was great. It was my third time seeing him perform. He's amazing live."

"Oh yeah? You'll have to play him for me sometime then." The bartender set two beers down in front of them. "Let's join the others, shall we?" Melissa followed him through the pub crawl that had recently taken over the dance floor. She was grateful he had come inside to get her. She never would've found them through all the twists and turns.

Stu surveyed the back deck area for his party. The three tables they had been occupying were empty. Funny, he didn't ask for alone time with Melissa. Maybe Ryan took Stu's earlier flirtation as a sign to give them some space. "hmm... they're probably dancing. Do you dance?" He set his beer down on the table and sat down. Melissa followed his exact move.

"Sometimes. I'm not very good. I only like to slow dancing to 'Purple Rain'" she smiled. It was her horrible attempt at a joke.

He chuckled at her comment. "Slow dancing is reserved for weddings and special occasions. Although I can see why someone would make an exception for 'Purple Rain'" His comment made her relax a tiny bit, but she still had a long way to go.

There was a pause between them as he looked around for Ryan and the others. "Thank you for inviting me out tonight. It's nice to finally get to hang out with some people and experience a bit of this night life." she added sincerely. She was starting to genuinely enjoy herself. The air was warm, but there was a nice breeze blowing through. The beer was cold and crisp. The company was warm and inviting.

"Melissa! You made it!" Ryan took a seat next to her at the table along with a girl wearing the same red t-shirt as everyone else from the pub crawl. Ryan made the proper introductions around the table. "This is Jen." Melissa was relieved that there was someone newer to the table than herself. She thought about starting a conversation, but they had already started one that she was just between the two of them. Ryan already had his arm around Jen claiming her in front of everyone in the bar.

The group was slowly migrating back to the table. Matt and his girlfriend, Catie, sat down at the other end of the table trying hard to catch their breath. Melissa hadn't made the connection earlier that Matt was Evan Bourne. Stu was quick to make the introduction.

"Matt, Catie. This is Melissa. She's the new FCW costume designer" he stated proudly.

They both smiled at her. "It's so nice to meet you. Stu was telling us about you earlier. We were hoping you'd make it," Matt was sincere in his statement.

Blushing, Melissa responded "Thanks. I'm glad I came out"

"I like your shirt" Catie yelled over the noises of the pub crawl that had just migrated outside. "I guess if you dress people for a living, you always look good, right?"

Melissa laughed "That's not always the case. I have some questionable taste at times."

"I think you look great," Stu said. Melissa shot him a smile and blushed. "I'm just saying" he said through a smile and brought his pint glass up to his lips.

Two girls from the pub crawl made their way over. "Jen! Oh my God, girl. We thought we lost you." Pub Crawl Girl #1 was decorated in fake plastic Bud Light beads. "It's time to move on"

A disappointed look appeared on Jen's face. "Okay...Hey Ryan, why don't you come along? You all should come, actually"

Ryan stood up to leave, but everyone else was quick with excuses. "I have to work in the morning. We're about to take off anyway," Catie explained.

Stu looked to Melissa. Her face didn't show an interest either. "I think we're going to stay here, actually. It's almost 12:30 and the bars will be closing soon."

"Alright, man. Later guys," Ryan guided Jen out from behind the table and the two ran to catch up with the group. It was experiences like that that cause Ryan's problems with the ladies.

Stu leaned in towards Melissa. "You didn't want to go, did you?"

She smiled and put her hand on his left thigh. "No, I want to stay here and talk to you"

"I'm going to grab us some more beers," he looked over to Matt and Catie. "Are you guys taking off or can I get you something?"

"Yeah," Matt said. "I think its about that time. Melissa, nice meeting you. Hope to see you again soon"

Catie came around the table and bent down to hug Melissa goodbye. She slapped Stu on the arm. "Have fun, guys"

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." Stu and Melissa were each looking forward to having some time to chat, just the two of them. It's not that Melissa didn't want to hang out with his friends or get to know anyone new, but trying to keep up with everyone was proving to be exhausting.

Stu returned moments later with a beer in each hand. He was hoping that the arrival of another libation might make her open up to him a little bit more upon it's consumption. Melissa and Stu turned to each other at the same time and spoke. Flustered, he let her speak. "So, when do you go back out on the road?" If only he had pushed, she would've heard him tell her how beautiful he thought she was, but he decided to let it go for now.

Stu sighed. "Unfortunately, I have an early flight in the morning. We're headed out to Birmingham for some house shows and then driving over to Biloxi for Smackdown. How are you finding Tampa so far?"

"Warm," she responded while hugging herself. "It's absolutely beautiful here. Everyone I've met so far has been so nice and welcoming. I do miss home. I miss my family, my friends"

"You get used to that," he said. "If this is what you really want, then it's worth it. Where's home?"

"Boston."

"Ah, the most dreadful city to drive around in." He took another sip of his beer.

She laughed. "Yup. It never gets easier no matter how long you live there. I think I love Tampa because it's so different. Tonight was the first night I didn't have to drive for 45 minutes to get to where I needed to be though. Do you miss home?"

"Of course," he responded. "I miss my family, my mates as well, but I figure I wouldn't see them anyway if I was doing the same thing in England. I'd still be on the road 300 days a year."

"I don't know how you guys do it," Melissa responded shaking her head.

"You just...do it. Like I said, if you really want it, it's worth it." He put his hand on her knee and squeezed it. "Another beer?"

"Sure," Melissa was genuinely enjoying herself being in Stu's presence. He had a very matter of fact way of explaining himself and his actions while also being genuinely interested in her opinions and her life. Melissa found his maturity very sexy. He carried himself well and knew how to treat a lady.

They spent the next 45 minutes talking about their lives. They discussed music. He was amazed she had never listened to The Smiths and she disclosed her secret love of Neil Diamond. He admitted to never having watched a baseball game and she expressed her undying love for the Boston Red Sox. Stu spoke highly of his time in FCW and Melissa discussed the few community theatre productions she had worked on. The only topic they didn't dare tackle was politics. He had tried, but Melissa quickly, but politely, changed the subject to something a little less threatening.

Four beers later and Melissa was a little more tipsy than she had hoped to be at the end of the night. Stu didn't appear to be holding his beer that well either. Melissa did not have to wonder about how the conversation between them went. He had laughed through the majority of her stories and periodically rubber her arm or knee. She had never been out with a guy that showed any signs of physical affection with her. It was nice to feel wanted.

Suddenly, all the lights inside the bar and out on the porch came on at once. 1am. Closing time. "We should get out of here, you didn't drive did you?" he asked her.

"No, I walked. I live just up the street."

"I'll give you a ride. I'm fine to drive." he touched his nose. "I'll even do that silly breathalyzer thing in the lobby to prove it," he said proudly.

Melissa stood up but quickly felt the alcohol trying to bring her back down. She steadied herself by grabbing hold of the table. "Shit. I never drink that much."

Stu put his left arm around her shoulder and her grabbed her right hand with his. "Let's get you home, shall we?" There was almost a foot and a half height difference between them. It was difficult for Stu to wrap his arm around her waist, but he found a way. His right arm pulled her close to his side as they walked towards the parking lot. Smiling, she put her head down. This was the first time in her memory that a man wanted to show the world he was with her. He even went as far to open the car door for her and make sure she was settled before climbing in himself.

Stu started the car and pulled through the space ahead. "Alright, darling, Where to?"

"2434 E. Cooper Blvd, please, Sir." She rolled down the window. The air felt good on her flushed face. Melissa closed her eyes and was singing along with the Nirvana song on the radio. Stu sensed the perfect flirtatious opportunity. He reached over and started tickling her sides. Melissa screamed in surprise and her eyes flew open "Stop! I'm wicked ticklish!" She was laughing and rolling around the seat as much as the seat belt would allow her to. Stu was laughing along with her. It had been almost a year since he broke up with his last girlfriend during NXT. The schedule put a great amount of distance between them and they couldn't sustain a healthy relationship. He was loving having this new girl in his life. She was genuine towards him and he appreciated her immediate honesty about her familiarity with him.

Stu made a left turn into Melissa's apartment complex. "I'm the third building on the left. I can just hop out here."

"Nonsense," he said as he pulled the car in to a space. "You must be carried in to your home." Stu hopped out of the car as Melissa bent down to pick her purse up off the floor and search for her keys. Stu flung the car door open, grabbed Melissa, and threw her over his shoulder. "Now, Princess, which way to your castle?"

Melissa gave in to the silliness. "To the left, sir!" He carried her across the courtyard of the complex and up to the second floor. "Okay, put me down so I can unlock my door" Stu just turned her around to face the lock. Any time she was close to putting the key in, he shifted. She was laughing uncontrollably at his adorable actions.

"Well, it looks like someone doesn't want what is waiting for them on the other side." Melissa bit her lip as soon as the words left them.

"Open the door now" Stu stood still and let Melissa open the door. She was obviously embarrassed about her forward comment, but wasn't that why he was carrying her up her stairs? Melissa flipped the lights on as they passed the threshold. Stu started to move about the apartment looking for a safe place to put her down. Melissa assumed he was looking for her bedroom. "The first door on the left"

He charged towards the bedroom, both of them giggling like school children at recess, and dropped her on the bed. Stu was out of breath from the laughing and exertion. "Well, good night, darling" he said while making his way towards the bedroom door. Melissa was confused. Didn't he want to spend the night? Stu saw the look of disappointment on her face and walked towards the bed. He smiled cheekily. "Oh did you think I was going to stay the night and make sweet love to you all night long?"

She sat up in bed and bit her lip. "I'm not sure what I was expecting." Stu sat down next to her and took her face in his hands, pulling her towards him. He kissed her deeply, exploring her mouth with his tongue. Melissa settled her hands on his thighs. He felt her muscles relax. She was under his spell.

Stu pulled away first. He felt bad about what he was about to say, but he really liked her and felt the conditions were inappropriate for their first time together. "I'm not going to spend the night, darling. You're a little tipsy and I am flying out in a few hours." Melissa had forgot that fact, but it all made sense. He brushed the hair out of her face. "I don't want it to be like this. Let's get together when I get back." He kissed her forehead before kissing her softly on the lips.

"Of course." Despite his affection, Melissa felt as though it was an empty promise. "When are you back?"

"Wednesday morning. I'll call you. Goodnight, love"


	4. Trust

**Thanks for all the great feedback! It's all greatly appreciated :)**

* * *

><p>The early morning sun crept through the blinds of Melissa's window shaking her awake. She rolled away and checked the time on her phone. 11:30am. The screen displayed a text message from last nights drinking partner, Stuart Bennett. <em>Made it home safely. Had a great time. Talk to you soon. <em>Melissa thought for a few seconds before responding with _Thank you for a wonderful night. Have a safe trip._ Seconds later her phone vibrated. _Did you just wake up? Someone had a little too much fun._

Indeed she had. Melissa walked to the medicine cabinet in her bathroom and took two Tylenol. She looked at herself in the mirror. She hadn't bothered to wash up before bed. Her mascara was smeared under her eyes. She couldn't think up a witty retort to Stu's text and decided to wait before responding so as to not appear so desperate.

She spent the morning replaying the events of last night. The end of the night was a bit hazy. She only remembered being carried in by Stu's strong arms and laughing for most of the evening. She began to remember more and more as she woke up over her morning cup of tea. He had been affectionate with her. He took care of her. He was gorgeous, charming and thoughtful. She hoped that he really meant what he said when he left. Based on the text she received, she had to trust that she would see him again.

Despite Saturday being her day off, she had no real plans. After running her usual errands of going to the morning farmers market and walking on the beach, she would buy all the fabric necessary for Ryan's vests and plant herself behind her sewing machine for the rest of the weekend. And she would wait for the phone to ring.

* * *

><p>"You've been lookin' at your phone every 5 seconds, man. You waitin' on somethin'?" Heath Miller asked. The two were driving to the arena for their Birmingham house show from the hotel. Stu was anxiously awaiting a return text from Melissa.<p>

"I'm just waiting for a response to a message I sent earlier," Stu was worried that his comment had offended her.

"What's her name?" Heath knew when Stu was love struck. Stu had a permanent grin plastered on his face from the moment they met at the Tampa airport to board their flight.

"Melissa," His smile widened and he glanced at the phone again.

"Is she the new costume designer for FCW? Ryan was telling me about her. Said she's really cute and sweet"

"She is. We hung out for a bit last night. She's very funny and caring...and..."

"Totally different from Karen?" Heath asked. Heath never cared much for Karen. He thought she was a total pain in Stu's ass. The break up was easy and it made sense. Karen had become increasingly frustrated by the amount of time apart they spent and when they were together she was unbearable to be with. Karen was always trying to start an argument about something. Stu had decided that he needed to enjoy his rise to fame and concentrate on being the best. They have not spoken to or seen each other since the night he called it quits. Friends had tried to set him up on dates since then, but no one really knew his type. Being on the road did make it difficult and he was afraid of falling for someone that would also not be patient about his career.

Stu sighed. "Never mind Karen. It's still too soon to tell anyway. But she's different in that she's a little on the shy side" Stu smiled thinking about getting her to open up and show her true self last night. "but I like that about her. I like that she blushes when she gets a compliment. I like that she dropped her entire life back home to pursue costume design"

"So, she'll probably be pretty understanding when it comes to your career and your aspirations" Heath stated.

"Sure. I guess. Time will tell." Heath pulled the car into the parking lot just as Stu's text alert went off. _Based on how I felt this morning, I am thankful for the door to door service, Sir_. Stu was relieved that she responded and had remembered his chivalrous efforts from the previous evening. Stu stared at the screen for a few seconds trying to decided whether to call her right back or send a simple reply.

"Well, man, are you ready to go in?"

"Just a second...you can go ahead," Stu decided to take a chance and call Melissa. Her phone only rang one time.

Melissa's heart was racing as she answered the phone. "Hello?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey Melissa, it's Stu. Are you feeling any better?"

Melissa giggled. "A few tylenol and a whole lot of water later, I feel pretty good. Hows your road trip going?"

"So far, so good. We're about to do our first show in a few hours. I didn't sleep before leaving for the airport so I'm also feeling a little under the weather"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you out late."

"No, no it's not that at all. I'm a terrible sleeper. I just couldn't relax enough when I got home. I was thinking about you too much"

Melissa was amazed with how quickly the next words came to her.. "I can't wait to see you when you get back. I was thinking it might be nice if I cooked for you when you came back on Wednesday. I imagine you don't get too many home cooked meals."

"You'd be right. That sounds lovely. I'm looking forward to it, darling. I bet your blushing right now, aren't you?"

She was and acknowledged this with a simple "Mmhmm." She was afraid that anything she would say would ruin this conversation between them. It had been going so well.

"Come on, man!" Heath yelled at him from across the parking lot.

"Melissa, sorry to cut this so short, but I have to go get ready for the show. We'll chat again soon."

"Looking forward to it" He could hear the smile in her voice. "Be safe."

"Always. Bye, love"

* * *

><p>Stu defended his Intercontinental Title that night against Kofi Kingston. The match was flawless with Stu retaining the title. The crowd had been less than pleased with the result, but Stu loved hearing the boos from the crowd and the "You suck!" chants. It was what fueled him as a performer.<p>

Settling back in to his hotel room, he stared at his Intercontinental title. He had worked so hard all of his life for this. When he won, he really wished he had someone to celebrate with. Sure, he had his friends in the company. His family was across the Atlantic but they let him know just how proud they were of him. Still, he felt that the victory would've been sweeter if he had a beautiful girl on his arm.

Heath's snoring was keeping him awake again. Stu's mind started to wander as he laid in bed. He thought of all the ways that his relationship with Karen failed. He wanted to make sure he wasn't going to make the same mistake this time with Melissa. Whether he was on the road or not, he needed to make sure that she showed her every day that he was thinking about her. He didn't want her to wonder if he was cheating like Karen had. Those accusations were the beginning of the end of their relationship. Stu was faithful to every girlfriend he had ever had. He was a one woman man. He wondered if maybe Melissa was worried about what he was doing at that moment. Right now would be good time to start showing her that she could trust him. Stu picked up his phone and shot her a text _Looking forward to Wednesday night, love. I bet whatever you prepare will be delicious_.

* * *

><p>The rest of the weekend had gone by pretty fast. Melissa had another full day to look forward to at FCW. She enjoyed the fast paced work environment. At 10am she was meeting with Ryan to see how the vests fit and make any necessary alterations. At 11:30am she would be meeting the FCW divas to look over the dresses they picked out for the upcoming Miss FCW ceremony. The rest of the afternoon would be spent making alterations to all those garments.<p>

She was proud of the work she had accomplished over the weekend, but felt lonely. Now that she was settling in to her second week in Tampa, the novelty was starting to wear off and she longed for dinners with friends, quiet time with family, and nights out in the city. It had been two days since she had seen Stu and she had another two to go. It was torture. She was trying to keep herself busy enough so that she wouldn't think about him too much. She loved the texts and phone calls she received from him, but she was beginning to doubt if she could build and sustain a relationship with someone through technology.

Ben knocked on her office door. "Good morning, Melissa. How was your weekend?"

"Oh hey, Ben. It was nice. Yours?"

"Great. Spent some time on the beach with my kids. They love the ocean"

Melissa adored children and couldn't wait to have her own. "I didn't know you had kids. How old are they?"

"Two boys. Seven and four" Ben looked over at her desk an saw the large pile of fabric.. "Did you already finish Ryan's vests?" Ben picked the top one up and looked over the stitching. "This looks amazing"

"Oh, thank you. I finished them Saturday night. I called him this morning to let him know. He should be in around 10 tomorrow to try them on."

"Knowing Ryan, he'll be in earlier than that. Wow, Mel, these are great. Nice work." Melissa was absolutely beaming inside. All that worrying for nothing. She knew she was going to get on well in FCW.

* * *

><p>Stu hadn't slept a wink again that night, but felt fine to carry on with the day ahead. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus in a Champion vs. Champion match was scheduled that night for Raw. Stu and Stephen came up in the ranks together and worked incredibly well together in the ring. Despite their history, Stu still stayed up all night watching you tube clips of Stephen's recent matches against Daniel Bryan looking for new and creative ways to work their match to grab the fans attention. He wanted to give the WWE Universe something different. Plus, he had shot Melissa a text earlier in the day requesting that she watch Raw. Her response: <em>I wouldn't miss it. <em>

Stephen and Stu sat in the corner of the locker room catching up and discussing their match for the night. Since Stu switched brands they hardly ever saw each other anymore.

Stu was all business. "I've come up with a great end to the match and I wanted to run it by you."

"We can get to all that a second. Hows being champion treating you?"

Stu chuckled. "Very well."

"It's amazing, isn't it? And we're both champs at the same time. We imagined this happening hundreds of times, but did you ever really think it would happen?"

"Yes." Stu stated confidently. "Only I thought I'd be a top tier champ. I don't know about you."

Stephen laughed. "Yeah. Me too. So, talk to me. Hows your life going?"

"Can't complain. Constantly training. I get to sneak some fishing in every now and then."

Stephen was lacing up his boots."Still pathetically single?"

"Hopefully not anymore." Stu stood up to beginning stretching his legs in preparation.

"Oh, really now? Do tell." Stephen was immediately interested. Stu had never alluded to being interested in dating since joining the WWE roster. He had always said that a relationship would be "too distracting."

"There is a new FCW costume designer." Stu smiled just thinking about her. "Melissa."

Stephen nodded. "I got the e-mail welcoming her"

"Well, I needed measurements done last week so I met with her. She came out for some drinks with a few of us and we really clicked."

"Great news, man. All the best to you." Stephen was sincere in his statement. He really wanted Stu to be happy.

Stu's eyes fixated on the floor. He was clearly thinking about her. "Thanks. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens."

Stephen slapped him on the arm. "You know what else you should be looking forward to?"

"Whats that?" asked the Englishman coming back from his day dream.

"My boot in your face."

Stu chuckled. "Oh yeah, we'll see about that, mate."

* * *

><p>Ryan rolled in to Melissa's office around 9:30am. "Hey lady!" Melissa jumped at her computer and put her hand over her heart. He had scared the shit out of her. "Oh, sorry."<p>

"You scared the shit out of me! How are you?"

"Excellent. Hey, thanks for coming out the other night. Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, I had a great time. Thanks for inviting me. Where did you end your night?"

"At The Independent, strangely enough."

"Weird! So, I'd like you to try on each vest and check out the fit. Let me know if anything needs to be changed." Melissa handed him the brown and white cow print one. The one that they were both most excited about.

"Did you guys stay much longer after we took off?"

"Matt and Catie left almost immediately." Melissa smiled. "Stu and I closed the place down." She wanted to share more information, but she didn't know Ryan all that well yet. Plus, he was more Stu's confidant than her own.

Ryan decided to throw in a good word or two for his friend. "He's a nice guy, ain't he?"

"Yeah, he's really great," Melissa gushed. "We've been in touch while he's been on the road and we have plans for Wednesday. I'm going to cook dinner."

"Oh, he'll love that. His cooking is the shits," They both laughed. "This fits great. You did an awesome job." Ryan flexed in the mirror. "I look so sexy!"

"Speaking of sexy, how is Jen?" Melissa inquired.

Ryan shrugged it off. "One time thing. Nice girl, but not too much there. Plus, I'm not really in to that whole commitment and dating right now. Too much to focus on at this point in my life with my career, you know?"

Melissa nodded her head. "Sure. Makes sense." She was beginning to wonder if maybe Stu viewed her the same way.


	5. Dinner

Melissa was applying her lipstick when the door bell rang. Stu was right on time for their dinner date. Butterflies danced in Melissa's stomach as she reached for the doorknob. She took a deep breath before opening the door, revealing a handsome 6'7" Englishman brandishing a huge smile. He was wearing a black button up shirt with grey slacks. He looked so clean and put together.

"Good evening, love. You look absolutely ravishing," Stu praised. Melissa did look ravishing. Her lips were painted a cherry red which complimented her navy blue cap sleeve dress. The empire waist bodice framed her large breasts and the A line skirt hid some of her imperfections. Her brown hair hung down with the ends curling up towards her shoulders. In true Melissa fashion she was barefoot, but her toe nails were painted a red to match her finger nails and lipstick.

She curtseyed and extended her hand. "Won't you come in, please?"

Upon entry in to her foyer, Stu pulled her towards him, bent down and lightly kissed her. They both had been waiting to relive that moment from a few nights ago in her bedroom. "Here, I brought this for this evening," Stu handed her a bottle of pinot noir.

She smiled. "My favorite. Thank you. Can I pour you a glass?"

"Please do." Melissa made her way over to the kitchen and reached up to grab two wine glasses. The last time Stu was in her home all the lights were off. This time he was able to walk into her living room and survey her DVD collection as well as the pictures she had up of her friends and family. Melissa handed Stu his glass of wine. He was looking at a picture of her and two of her friends from back home standing outside of Fenway Park. "Is this you?"

Melissa laughed. "Yes. Back in my heavier days. I still have a long way to go before I am where I want to be."

Stu set his glass of wine along the bookshelf and put his hands on Melissa's waist. "I like you this way." He squeezed her hips. "It suits you well."

"Thank you." Melissa took a sip of her wine and broke the embrace. "Dinner is almost ready." She walked back towards her kitchen.

He was still looking at all the photos and bric-a-brac that adorned her shelves. "I meant to say it smells great in here. What on the menu for this evening?"

Melissa tied her apron back around her. "Well, I made butternut squash bisque, asparagus, and peppercorn pork tenderloin." She bent down to pull the pork out of the oven.

"You made all that? From scratch?" Stu was clearly impressed by her efforts.

"Yes." She gestured towards the decorated kitchen table. "Have a seat."

They both felt so comfortable being around each other. Even though this was only the third time they were seeing each other, the conversations they shared over the weekend brought them closer together. Melissa was especially starting to feel more comfortable with Stu. She still could not believe that he wanted to talk to her and spend time with her. Two weeks ago she was a girl with a crush on a major WWE Superstar and now he was sitting in her kitchen, indulging in her culinary efforts. She was being careful not to embarrass herself. Stu actually found her clumsiness endearing.

"Your cheeks are flushed. Should we go outside for some air?" he asked with a hint of concern to his voice.

Melissa dismissed it. "This always happens when I drink red wine. I do have some chairs out on my balcony if you'd like to move out there"

"Sure, it's a nice night." Together, they stood up and headed out to Melissa's balcony. There were two white wicker chairs facing each other in diagonal corners. "That was an absolutely amazing meal. Where did you learn how to cook like that?"

"Just reading recipes. I needed to cook more to take better care of myself." Melissa smiled. "I did take a cooking class once with a former white house chef. Are you impressed?"

Stu was very impressed. "Did he teach you how to make anything we ate tonight?"

"The dessert that we're having." Melissa started rubbing her shoulder with her left hand.

"There is dessert too? You're spoiling me, you know that? I'm going to expect a meal of that caliber every time I come over here." Stu watched her slowly turn her head. "Is something wrong with your neck, love?"

"I think it's just awkward pain from sitting behind my sewing machine all weekend. I'm not used to sitting in that position again yet."

"Well, come here," he patted the foot rest in front of him. "I'll take care of it for you."

Melissa dismissed his generosity. "Oh, no. It's fine, really. It'll go away on its own."

"Nonsense. You're in pain. And you deserve some attention after slaving over that stove." Melissa really didn't want to put Stu out. She was also concerned that he would think this was part of a plan or that she was high maintenance. Melissa's shoulders tensed at his touch. "Just relax, okay? Which side hurts more?"

"The left side." Stu brushed Melissa's hair over to her right shoulder freeing up space for him to work. Melissa closed her eyes and began to relax.

"Please let me know if this is too much."

Gentle moans tried to make their way out of her mouth with each squeeze of her shoulder and neck, but she was able to hold them back. "This feels really good."

He laughed. "I know. I can tell by your reflection in the glass door." Melissa's eyes sprung open in embarrassment. "Just relax," he whispered into her ear.

Suddenly, Melissa felt Stu's lips brush up against her shoulder. She couldn't hide her moan that time. His lips came up to her ear. "Is this ok?" he asked while brushing her hair over to the left side and kissing her neck on the right.

"Yes," she breathed out with her eyes closed. His arms wrapped around the front of her and squeezed her tight. She had a moment of panic. "...I should grab the dessert now though."

Stu stopped kissing and loosened his grip on her waist. He wasn't going to let her get out of this that easily. "I'll help," he stood up right behind her and with his hands on her behind, guiding her into the kitchen.

Melissa couldn't look Stu in the eye. She opened her kitchen cabinet and grabbed two martini glasses. "Can I give you a task?"

He laughed. "You can, but I might not do it well"

Melissa smiled. She knew she was over reacting about what happened on the balcony. She should've just let it happen. "It's just scooping and assembling." She placed her hand on his arm. "I know you're going to do a great job. I'll chop the mint and you can put a squirt of chocolate syrup and two scoops of the cheesecake batter in. Then we'll top it with strawberries." Melissa was rummaging through her fridge gathering all the supplies.

"Yes ma'am. This sounds delicious," he squirted in the syrup and then stuck his finger in the cheesecake mix and tasted it. "This is delicious" he moaned. "You must try this." Stu scooped his finger in again and held it out for her. Melissa looked in to Stu's eyes and wrapped her lips around his finger, slowly pulling the cheesecake batter off.

"Oh, you're a tease" he said. Stu had not expected her to do that, but he really gave her no other option. He leaned in towards her. "You're also blushing."

Melissa sprinkled the mint into the glasses and handed Stu a spoon. "It's the wine."

Stu smirked. "Is that so?" Stu took a bite of the dessert. "This? This is also so good."

Melissa was eating her dessert slowly to drag out the inevitable. She knew that Stu was going to end up in her bed and over the course of the evening she became much more comfortable with that fact. "I'm glad you like it, but I'm afraid I've pulled out all of my tricks this evening." Melissa licked the last bit of cheesecake off of her spoon and placed her glass in the sink.

Stu put his hand up when she went to turn the faucet on. "Please, let me do those."

"I'm going to leave them for tomorrow. Just wanted to let the glasses soak. Can I get you anything else? Another glass of wine?"

Stu laughed. "You're so proper." He moved towards Melissa. She backed into the counter behind her. "There is one more thing though." Stu placed his hands on her waist and leaned in towards her. Melissa didn't cower. Instead she stood up on her toes eager to meet her lips with his. Stu pushed his tongue passed her lips and started exploring her mouth. Melissa wrapped her arms up around his neck while he sat her down on the counter. "You're very beautiful," he whispered in her ear. Melissa was tipsy from the wine, but she was absolutely drunk on Stu Bennett. She moved her hands through his hair as he continued his assault on her lips. Melissa opened her legs wide enough for Stu to get close enough to press his chest against hers. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his back. Melissa broke the kiss and began placing gentle kisses along his jaw line to his neck, but Stu, always the aggressor, bit in to the sweet spot in her neck, stopping her in her tracks. He started to kiss across her chest. "I don't want to have to rip your dress," he said between kisses. "Can we take this some place else?"

Melissa's head was bent back and she was lost in the moment. "Do you remember where you're going?" she asked her voice breathy.

"I believe it's the first door on the left," he replied. With that he lifted Melissa up and carried her to her bedroom. Stu gently placed her down on the bed and crawled on top of her. He wanted to pick up exactly where he left off. Melissa reached up and started undoing the buttons on his shirt. She became visibly frustrated by the presence of an undershirt.

Stu smiled. "Hold on, love. I got it". He sat back on his knees and removed his open shirt. He didn't take his eyes off of her. Melissa lay on the bed biting her thumb, waiting for him to return. Stu slowly lifted the black t-shirt up and over his head. Melissa had seen him topless before, but she couldn't wait to have his skin touching hers. She reached her hands up and ran them along his chiseled form.

"Oh my god," she whispered almost inaudibly. She sat up and started applying soft kisses down his chest to the edge of his pants.

Stu reached behind her and undid her zipper. He couldn't wait to free her breasts from that dress. "Let's get this dress off you, shall we?" Melissa was terrified of Stu seeing her naked. He sat back in her bed and watched her slide the dress off of her shoulders and down her hips to the floor. She was wearing a dark purple lace bra and panty set. Stu scanned her body, the smile growing bigger as he saw the look of nervousness on her face. He was determined to make her comfortable so she would give herself to him. "You look incredible. Come here," he whispered.

Melissa climbed back into bed and started undoing his pants. He reached behind her and undid her bra. The straps slowly fell from her shoulders. Melissa reached up and finished removing her bra. "Better?" she asked.

"Perfect," Stu replied, leaning in to kiss her hot mouth. He grabbed her hands and pushed them above her head while he pushed her down on the bed. Melissa knew Stu wanted to be in charge. She was much better in the submissive role anyway. Stu continued to kiss her passionately as he quickly ran his right hand up her stomach. He grabbed her left breast, squeezing it hard in his hand. Melissa moaned in to his mouth. Stu lowered his head and took her right nipple in his mouth. She was wildly turned on by him. He continued biting and sucking on her nipple, which growing harder at the contact. He switched sides and moved his hands down between her legs. He smirked when he felt that she was wet through her underwear. Stu grew hard at the thought of how ready she was for him. "Is all this for me?"

Melissa put her hand over her face in embarrassment. "Yes," she responded through her fingers.

Stu pushed her hand away from her face. "Don't be embarrassed. It's amazing." He moved her underwear to one side and slowly slide a finger into her wet slit. He licked his lips as he watched her arch her back off the bed. Stu rubbed the outside of her with two fingers before pressing them deeply inside of her.

"Please, Stu?" Melissa moaned.

"Please what, darling?" Stu smirked. He knew he was driving her crazy. Stu wanted her to ask for what she wanted before he progressed. He started rubbing his thumb over her clit. "Do you want me to taste you?"

That question sent Melissa into a frenzy. She bit her lip and nodded in his direction. Stu ripped her underwear off and tossed them across the room. He settled his face between her legs and started kissing her thighs. His earlier motions had spread her juices all over the inside of her legs. Melissa ran her right hand through his hair while he left grabbed hold of his free hand. Stu gently licked the juices dripping on the outside of her, his fingers still sliding into her, his tongue dancing around her soft folds. The closer Melissa came to achieving her orgasm, the more her hips moved around. Stu moved his hands down to her hips, pining her to the bed. She grabbed the back of his head and pushed his face against her. Stu loved the fact that she was starting to take control over her own pleasure. "I'm really close," Melissa squeaked out.

Stu moaned in approval. Melissa placed her hands on top of Stu's. "Look at me," he whispered. Melissa made eye contact with the Englishman and instantly erupted in her orgasm.

Stu climbed on top of Melissa and kissed her deeply. She could taste herself on his lips. He just watched her for a few moments as she collected herself. He could tell it had been a while since a man made her feel that way. She turned to him and took his face in her hands. "You're amazing," she smiled. "You also shouldn't have pants on." She rolled over on top of Stu and undid his pants, slowly sliding them off of his body. Stu decided to just lie on the bed and see what she could do. Melissa slide her fingers under the waistband of his boxers and kissed her way down as she slowly pulled them off, revealing his rock hard manhood. She looked up at Stu, who was smiling down at her, impressed with her ambitiousness. Making eye contact, Melissa took all of him deep in her mouth. Stu took a hands off approach and decided to just watch her work him expertly. Her mouth moved up and down his length at a slow pace at first, but as she quickened her pace, she received a more audible reaction from her lover. She pulled back, grabbing him in her hand, and licked his length up to the tip.

The sensations were driving Stu close to the edge. "Stop." Melissa looked at him meekly; she thought she had done something wrong. "Come here, love." He reached down and grabbed her hands pulling her towards him. They engaged in a deep kiss. Without breaking the kiss, Stu flipped her on to her back. Melissa began kissing his shoulder and down his arm.

Without asking, she opened her legs. Neither was speaking, but they were breathing heavy and staring in to each other's eyes. Stu guided himself inside of her and she smiled as he fulfilled her. He propped himself up on her bed with his hands and watched her breasts bounce with each thrust. He leaned down to kiss her, pressing his chest against hers.

"You feel incredible," she whispered through moans.

He smiled. "So do you," Melissa's heavy breathing was increasing as Stu delved into her faster and faster. Stu's moans were becoming louder. Melissa slid her hands down Stu's back and grabbed his behind, pushing him deeper into her. She was getting closer to attaining her second orgasm with him.

"Please don't stop," Melissa cried. Her eyes were closed. She was concentrating hard on reaching her climax.

Stu leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I want you to come for me," That was all it took. Melissa's screams emanated from the depths of her womanhood. Stu felt her clench around him and he came hard inside of her. Melissa reached up and pulled his face down towards her. They came down from their bliss with their tongues wrapped around each other.

"Holy shit," Melissa's breathing was still hitched. "Please tell me you're going to spend the night" she requested.

Stu smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "Of course, love. We're not done yet." 


	6. The Past

Melissa shot up in bed. "Fuck!" She looked at her cell phone. "It's 9:30!" She jumped out of bed and paced back and forth for a minute. Last nights activities had distracted her from setting the alarm clock on her phone.

Stu's eyes fluttered open. He was amused by the naked woman wondering aimlessly around her bedroom. "Everything ok, love?" he asked while rubbing his eyes.

"I'm so late for work." Melissa was frantic. She was still anxious about making a good impression at FCW. She stopped pacing when she came across a small heap of purple fabric on the floor. "Did you rip my underwear last night?"

Stu winked at her. "Maybe." He sat up in bed. "You know they don't keep you tied down to a set schedule. As long as you get your work done, they're fine with it." Stu was trying to put her mind at ease. He was also hoping that she would climb back into bed and cuddle for a few more minutes before heading off to work for the day. It was now Thursday and he would be leaving early in the morning on Saturday for the next string of house shows and the Smackdown taping. It was selfish, but he really wanted her all to himself Wednesday through Friday.

"You're right." She climbed back into the arms of her waiting lover. Stu held her tightly as she nuzzled her face against his chest. "Thank you for last night," she said between kisses.

"My pleasure. You're an incredible lover," Melissa blushed at his remark. Although not difficult to do, Stu loved making her blush. "Stay in bed with me all day."

Melissa giggled as Stu started kissing across her chest. Suddenly her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID. "Shit. It's Ben," Stu didn't stop applying kisses. "Hi Ben."

Ben cut right to the chase. "Are you coming in for the meeting?"

Melissa put her hand on her forehead. "What meeting?" Melissa was confused.

"Oh," Ben sounded apologetic. "I must not have forwarded you that email. We're all meeting with the new roster at 10am."

"Umm...," Stu pouted. Melissa rolled her eyes in response. "I'm leaving now."

"Get here when you can." Ben added nonchalantly.

"I heard that," Stu replied. "I want you for five more minutes."

"Absolutely."

* * *

><p>Melissa strolled in to work grinning from ear to ear. Ben was standing in front of the ring waiting for everyone to settle before the meeting started. He motioned for Melissa to come up and take a seat at the front. "Sorry about the miscommunication. I'm glad you could make it." She took her seat and quickly looked around.. There was a group of about 30 wrestlers and FCW personnel gathered in the gym. Melissa still hadn't met everyone, so she kept her eyes to herself.<p>

"Thank you all for coming." Ben began. "We have a few important matters to go over during this meeting, so I will ask that you keep all questions until the end. First I'd like to introduce the five new performers we have joining us today. If each one of you could stand as I call your name. From Seattle, Mark Bradshaw. From Ring of Honor, Terry Smith. We have Rick Matthews from Georgia. Hector Fuentes from Scottsdale, Arizona. And lastly, Tim Drake from Boston. Welcome, gentleman."

Melissa sat down low in her seat. She couldn't believe she didn't see this coming. Tim was the most talented wrestler working the independents in Boston. It was inevitable that he would end up in WWE Developmental. He wasn't the hardest working, but he was decent on the mic and had natural in ring ability. Melissa's eyes darted around the room trying to plan her escape. Maybe she could go to the bathroom or get a drink of water. _Maybe I'll just get up and run when this meeting is over_ she thought. Where to? She didn't know. Her office was too obvious.

"Okay," Ben continued. "For our next order of business, I'd like to introduce our new wardrobe designer, Melissa Anderson." Melissa, flashing a genuine smile, stood up confidently and waved to the crowd behind her. She refused to show Tim that his presence impacted her in any way. "For you new guys, please touch base with Melissa today to get the ball rolling on some ideas for your shorts or any other clothing ideas you have. Much appreciated."

Melissa zoned out for the remainder of the meeting. It didn't pertain to her anyway. She was too busy thinking of how she could avoid Tim, but there was no way. She needed to be professional about this.

* * *

><p><em>"You know, I'm absolutely crazy about you, right?" Tim whispered in her ear.<em>

_Melissa closed her eyes. "That's what you keep telling me," She was starting to feel guilty about her behavior. She couldn't believe that they had just fucked in the bed he shared with his girlfriend._

_"You're incredible," he was out of breath from the intense orgasm he had just experienced inside of her. The high praise was starting to make Melissa feel cheap. "I think we're still going to be doing this when we're both married," he leaned over and started kissing her neck gently._

_She pushed him away. Melissa couldn't even address that ridiculous statement. "I should get going."_

_He wrapped an arm around her waist. "No, baby, stay...just a little while longer." He started kissing down her stomach. "Please?"_

_Melissa didn't respond, but instead just laid there. _

It had all started so innocently. She was the assistant costume designer at his wrestling school before branching out on her own. After a show one night, they all went out in a group to celebrate the five year anniversary of the federation. Melissa had been nursing a crush on him for some time and the alcohol gave her the courage to invite him back to her place. Tim was 6'4" of scruffy blond masculinity and she craved him. He was more adventurous and attractive than any man she had previously dated. She even found his "better than you" attitude and ruthless competitiveness appealing. Unlike Stu Bennett, Tim Drake was the same person in and out of the ring.

Tim had mentioned his "ex-girlfriend Rachel" many times, but, as Melissa found out during a house show, Rachel and Tim had never broken up and had been living together for five years. Melissa should have seen the signs. They always went to her place, which he told Melissa was because he had three roommates. He never wanted to meet her friends or go out to dinner. He could justify speaking to her at work and during shows, but he hardly answered her phone calls.

Tim pleaded with her not be upset and Melissa, thinking she could change his mind about wanting to be with her, continued sleeping with him. At first she was fine with their arrangement, but as time went on she started to feel guilty and ended up calling it off. It took her a while to see it, but Tim was blatantly using her.

Despite their past together, getting away from Tim was not a major reason for her relocation. Melissa had ended things with Tim two months prior. Her job offer to FCW came out of no where. She quickly packed up and left looking to better herself professionally. Tim wasn't even part of the equation at that point, but that didn't mean that she wasn't bothered by the fact he didn't chase after her.

* * *

><p>Melissa quickly ran back to her office and shut the door. This wasn't all that bad. She was mildly worried about Tim meddling in her relationship with Stu, but she was so disinterested in Tim that she considered it a non-issue. She could and would be professional towards him. That was all there was to it.<p>

There was a knock at her door. She hesitated and took a deep breath. "Come in."

"Hello, love. You left in a rush this morning and didn't bring anything for lunch. So, I packed up last nights left overs for you." Stu held up a tupperware container. Melissa snapped back in to the present. There was a gorgeous and caring man standing in front of her. She was reminded of the massages, compliments, and love making of the night before. So far he was perfect.

Melissa walked over and gave him a kiss. "You are an incredibly thoughtful man. You didn't have to come all the way over here."

Stu shrugged. "It's no bother. I'm meeting Ryan for lunch anyway."

Ryan walked in to Melissa's office. "Hey man, I thought I'd find you here. Ready to go?"

Melissa raised her eyebrow. "Are you two bromancing each other this afternoon?"

"Just an innocent lunch, Mel." Ryan responded. "I'm not stealing him away from you." He turned his attention to Stu. "You should see the new guys they brought in today. Oh, man. One guy is from Ring of Honor. Dangerous."

"Are you threatened?" Stu asked laughing.

"What? Me? No way, man. Melissa is going to be dressing them though. Put that Ring of Honor dude in something goofy. Like a caterpillar suit or something. Okay?"

Melissa laughed. "I was thinking something a little more menacing, but ridiculous. Like a polar bear."

Stu was greatly amused by their banter, but he was starving. "Can we please go before the sun sets?"

"Have fun, you guys." Melissa called after them.

Stu bent down to kiss her. "Are you around for dinner tonight? I want to take you out."

Melissa smiled. "Sure. I'd love that." She grabbed him by the neck and responded to his kiss with one of her own. His hands wrapped around her back and held her tightly.

Ryan yelled for Stu, "Come on!"

Stu broke the kiss and took off running, but quickly returned to her office. "I'll come get you at eight!"

"Now, man!" Ryan shouted, further in the distance.

Stu turned quickly and ran out of the door. Melissa settled down in front of her lap top still giggling from her conversation with Stu and Ryan. There was another knock at the door.

Melissa thought it was Stu. "Are you going to tell me to wear something fancy?" She turned and saw Tim standing in her doorway, leaning against the frame.

"I was going to tell you to wear nothing at all." Melissa didn't react. "Come on, Mel. I'm just joking. They told me I should come and meet with you today." Her face was stoic. Tim's expression turned serious to match. "How are you?"

Melissa responded professionally. "I'm fine. Welcome."

"Well, thank you. You look great. Have you lost more weight?"

Melissa turned her attention to her lap top. "About another 10 pounds. Are you here for measurements?" Melissa immediately regretted that statement; thinking that Tim would turn it in to something sexual again.

"Eventually, but I wanted to see how you are. I was surprised when I learned you had moved down here. I'm proud of you, Mel. You're very talented. You're going to make these guys look good."

She completely ignored his praise. "How are you settling in?" Melissa logged in to her work email and began reading through. She didn't get the email from Ben. If she had, she would've known that Tim would've been at the meeting today. She definitely would have remembered that.

"Come on, Mel. Don't be like this. It's no way to treat an old friend," He pleaded.

_So much for being professional_, she thought."I'm just really busy." She lied. "So, unless you need something from me right now, I'm afraid I don't have the time to talk."

Tim wasn't going to let her get away that easy. "Okay, well, what are you doing tonight?"

She didn't look up from her computer. "I have plans."

"For dinner? For drinks?" Tim was now trying to probe her for information, but she wasn't budging.

"Both."

There was a knock on the door. "Melissa?"

Melissa was relieved. Thankfully, it was Ben. He had amazing timing. "Yes?"

"Are you in the middle of something? There is a delivery here for you."

"Great," Melissa looked to Tim. "Would you excuse me, please?"

"Sure. So, I'll see you around?"

"Looks that way."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for all the great feedback! Always looking for positive and negative criticism. I have a good idea of where the story is headed and hopefully you'll continue reading and enjoy it.<strong>


	7. Live!

"How was the rest of your day, love?" Stu had taken Melissa out to his favorite sushi bar in St. Petersburg. It was worth the 30 minute drive.

Melissa shrugged. "Uneventful." She popped a piece of maki in to her mouth. She jumped with excitement. "No! I received a huge delivery of black spandex! So, that'll be fun to play with."

Stu laughed. "For all the new guys then?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Melissa was still debating whether or not to tell Stu about Tim. She didn't want to make things complicated this soon in to their relationship. "Did you have fun on your lunch date?"

"It wasn't a date. It was a man lunch. And it was delicious, thank you very much."

"Who paid?"

Stu knew where she was going with this. "I did." He pointed at himself. "I'm the man."

"Oooh...I'm telling Ryan you said that."

"Don't be fresh, love. Or I'll have to be fresh later."

She bit her thumb. "Promise?"

Stu sat back in his seat. "You've come pretty saucy, you know that?"

She smiled and took a sip of her water. "You like me."

"Maybe. So, Ryan was telling me one of the new guys is from Boston."

Melissa nodded while grabbing another piece of maki. "Right. Tim Drake."

"Did you know him?"

She was chewing a piece of spicy tuna. "Mmmhmm," she mumbled. "I worked with him briefly when I was starting out."

"Well, I won't be too jealous if you spend time with him. For nostalgia's sake," Stu surveyed the table for his next sushi roll.

"That's very sweet of you, but I don't see that happening." Melissa was staring down at her plate.

Stu raised an eyebrow. "Hows that?"

Melissa shrugged. She didn't want to appear defensive. "I don't know. We just never really connected or anything."

Stu decided to let it go. "Alright, I'm obviously not going to force you." He grabbed her hand from across the table. "I'd much rather you spend your time with me."

"Obviously. I want that too." Melissa squeezed his hand in hers.

"Although, it might be good for you to make some friends."

Melissa laughed. "Make some friends? Are you my mom?"

"I didn't mean it that way," he smiled. "I'm just on the road so much. You don't really know anyone down here."

"Catie e-mailed me today, actually. She invited me to kickboxing class with her. You must've set that up."

"I may have had a hand in that."

"Thank you." Melissa was genuinely grateful. This also showed her that Stu felt she was important enough to bring into his group of friends.

The waitress came over to the table and started clearing their plates. "Can I get you folks anything else tonight?"

"Just the check, please." Stu requested. Melissa reached for her wallet. "Mel," There was a forcefulness in his voice. "I'm the man, remember?"

* * *

><p>It was Melissa's first time in Stu's apartment. He told her he lived in a complex because it was easier for the neighbors to keep an eye on his place while he was gone. His space was sparsely decorated. There was a Preston NE scarf tacked up on the wall, but that was the only real decoration. A large container of protein powder sat on his kitchen counter along with a framed picture of his family. He had a modest size television that was framed by a wall unit housing a large collection of WWE DVDs. All the walls were left their original white and all of the kitchen fixtures were black.<p>

"It's nice. It's crisp and clean." She bent down to look at the photo.

Stu laughed. "You're being polite." He put his keys on the counter. "I'm not one for decorating. I didn't bring much over with me. I don't care for things."

Melissa shrugged. "Everyone has their own style."

"Maybe you could help me decorate a little. I like the way you have your place set up." The apartment was mostly bare because Karen had taken almost everything with her when she moved out. They shared that space together for about eight months. When it ended, Stu contemplated moving out and into a much smaller place, but he liked the neighborhood and could handle the rent. Stu also hated moving and swore to himself that the next time he moved it would be into his first home.

"Can I see the rest?" Melissa asked.

"It's pretty much like this." Stu showed her the guest room, which aside from an open suitcase and a few books on the floor, was empty. His bedroom had the same coldness as the rest of the apartment. White walls, dark green sheets, one maple nightstand and one maple bureau.

Melissa was shocked. "We need to go to IKEA," she said.

Stu laughed and took a seat on his bed. "It's still a fully functioning bedroom though." Melissa removed her shirt and walked over to him. "See? It still works." Stu pressed his face against her and started kissing her stomach. She was left wearing her bra and a short jean shirt. "In fact, since it's my bedroom I bet I can get you to do anything I want." He slid his hands up her legs and slid her underwear back down. "Lay down," he demanded. Melissa was getting turned on by seeing his darker side. She crawled on to bed, but he grabbed the back of her skirt. "Stay right there instead." There was something about seeing her crawling on all fours that made him want to take advantage of her. Surely he could take care of himself now and cater to her needs later. Stu pushed her skirt up her back. He gently rubbed her behind before bringing his hand back and smacking her hard. Melissa jumped at the contact. Stu reached up and undid her bra, which fell down her arms to the bed. "Don't move unless I tell you to." He quickly undid his pants and pulled out his hard thickness. He grabbed her hair and pulled to help guide her to her knees. He reached his right arm around her and squeezed her breast in his hand. She threw her head back and moaned. Melissa yelped as he bit in to her neck leaving a mark. "I'm going to fuck you," he whispered in to her ear. "And you're going to like it." Melissa nodded her head and tried to turn to kiss him, but he slowly and gently pushed her back down towards the bed. "Open your legs for me." Melissa complied. Stu thrust himself inside of her, filling her completely. She let out a huge moan. Not only was it a complete surprise, but the change of position from the previous night led to the experience of different sensations. Stu kept one hand on her left hip while his right reached up and gripped her shoulder pulling her back towards him repeatedly. "Does that feel good?" he asked, his breathing heavy.

"Yes," Melissa softly squeaked out.

Stu reached back and spanked her hard. "I'll ask you again. Does that feel good?"

"Yes," she exclaimed. Her skin was stinging from that last slap. Stu reached his hand around and started rubbing her clit while continuing to thrust himself deep inside her. "You feel so good, baby."

Stu smiled. "You're being a very good girl." He was getting close to the edge. He loved that she was letting him do anything that he wanted to her. Her moans were pushing him closer and closer. Always being a thoughtful lover, she was squeezing herself around him to make it more enjoyable. Stu pushed himself deep inside of her with one last thrust and let himself go. His climax resonated off the empty walls. He collapsed on top of her when he was done and kissed down her back.

Melissa rolled over and laid down on the bed. Stu laid down beside her catching his breath. Her fingers danced along his chest. She leaned over and ran her tongue down his chest.

"Don't worry, love. It'll be your turn soon." He smiled down at her.

Melissa wasn't worried. "Take your time."

Stu pushed her hair out of her face. "I plan on it," Melissa crawled up his chest and engaged in a deep kiss. "Thank you for playing along."

She giggled. "That was so hot."

"I'm glad you think so. I quite enjoyed it myself."

* * *

><p>Friday was bittersweet for Melissa. She was looking forward to her first FCW taping, but it also meant that it was the last time she would see Stu for four days.<p>

In addition, Melissa's anxiety was at all time high. She felt bad about not telling Stu the truth about Tim, but she hadn't lied to him either. She was also feeling guilty about how she had treated Tim. Was it possible for her to be friends with an ex? She was really bad at this whole thing.

Melissa put her sunglasses and travel mug down on her desk and flipped the switch on her lap top. Thanks to another night of passion with Stu, she was a total zombie. Thankfully she would be able to sleep all weekend.

"Morning, gorgeous." Tim was standing at her door. "I wanted to be first in line for measurements this morning."

Melissa didn't look away from her screen. "Congratulations."

He walked towards her. "How was your date last night with Stuart?"

She was shocked and upset he knew. "How did you find out?"

"Everyone is talking about it. The girls seem a little jealous. One in particular has been trying to get with him for a few years now. So, I guess I should be saying 'Congratulations' to you instead."

"So, why are you here?"

"I broke up with Rachel."

Melissa bit the inside of her cheek. "Good for you."

"Yeah, she just wasn't 'doing it for me' you know?" Tim rattled that off nonchalantly.

"That's a shame." Melissa could not have cared less about his situation.

Tim looked at her with a bit of sadness in his eyes. "I miss you, Mel."

Melissa cracked up laughing. "No, you don't."

"Remember all those nights we spent together?" He started walking around her desk.

"Barely." Melissa was getting nervous, but tried her best not to show it.

"I meant everything I said." He came around to the front of her desk and rested his hands down. "Everything."

"That's great, but that was a long time ago. Look, I want us to be able to work together without any problems. Please don't make this any more difficult." She knew she was coming off as empathetic, but maybe this was the approach she needed to take with him. "Now, if you want me to take your measurements I'll be more than happy to do that for you. Otherwise, I'm here at work and, much like you, I have things to do." She picked up her tape measure. "So, either stand still or go back out into the gym."

Tim stood still. "Let's do this."

Melissa wrapped the tape around his waist. "You're sticking with shorts and your cotton hoodie?" She scribbled the number on her wrist.

"Yup. That's my look."

Melissa needed more information. "Color? Design?"

"Just 'Drake' in big, green capital letters on my butt."

Melissa nodded. Everything he said was so conceited. "How are the other new guys? I haven't met any of them yet."

"They're alright. Nothing special."

"You might want to change that attitude to get along here. I know you think you're God's gift to everything and everyone, but that type of attitude just doesn't fly around here." Melissa ran the tape up his leg for an inseam measurement.

Tim smirked. "You never liked making waves."

"You never break character. I'm telling you that you need to ease up if you want to be successful here." She took a step back. "You're all set."

"Thanks, Mel. I knew you'd look out for me." Tim knew he was beginning to slowly break her down. "Do you want to get lunch today?"

"No. I have errands to run at lunch." As much as she hated to admit she, she was starting to feel guilty about how she had treated Tim since he started. Of course he was not making this transition easy for her.

"Alright. Well, I'll let you get to work. Big night tonight for us." He turned towards the door and rubbed his rear with his hand. "Remember it should say 'Drake'"

* * *

><p>The day had gone by much quicker than Melissa had anticipated. She had planned to go home and change before the FCW taping, but her desire for perfection got in the way. She stood backstage organizing the dresses for the Ms. FCW contest that would be opening the show.<p>

"Which one is yours?" Melissa turned around to see Stu and Heath Miller standing there. "I'm partial to the sexy black number you're holding, honestly." He grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him for a kiss. "Melissa, this is Heath Miller."

Heath offered his hand. "Nice to meet you. Stu's told me so much about you."

"It's nice to meet you too. He speaks highly of you as well."

"We just wanted to come back and wish you luck before the taping starts." Stu leaned in towards her. "It's too bad you won't be on camera tonight. You look sexy as hell."

"Thanks, babe," Melissa leaned up for a kiss.

"Are you nervous?" Heath asked her.

Melissa smiled. "No, just excited now. Everything is organized and ready to go, but if anything rips or frays, I'm here."

"Alright, love, we're going to take our seats. See you after the show." Stu gave Melissa a little spank.

Melissa jumped. She was still sore from last night. "Fresh!" She turned her attention to the ginger. "It was nice meeting you, Heath."

Stu and Heath walked out in the arena and took their seats in the back. They were seated up with the rest of the new talent, away from the spectators.

"You're nervous for her, aren't you?" Heath asked.

"A little bit, but she's generally a wreck about everything, so if she's not worried, I shouldn't be either."

By the third match, everything had gone off without a hitch. The main event was Ryan's return to the ring against Windham Rotunda. It was Skip Sheffield vs. Husky Harris in a best out of three falls match. Skip came out to a huge pop from the crowd. The first two pins were split between the two combatants, but Skip cleanly picked up the third. Melissa was thrilled for her friend. Even though she was working backstage, she didn't know who was going to be put over each match. She liked that she was kept on the outs because helped to keep her an honest wrestling fan.

"Hey!" Melissa shouted towards a visibly winded Ryan. "That was awesome! You're back!" She gave him a hug. Stu and Heath met them backstage. "Wasn't he great?"

Stu found her enthusiasm adorable. "Yes. He was. But I think that pop was more for that cow print vest than anything else."

"Shut...up," Ryan was still trying to catch his breath. He slowly ambulated back stage to take a shower.

"Hey Mel," a voice called from a few feet away. "We're all going to Windham's. Are you coming?" It was Tim.

"I don't know. We'll see." she yelled back. The last thing she wanted tonight was for Stu and Tim to cross paths.

"Who was that?" Stu asked.

"That's Tim Drake."

"Oh right. The Boston guy. Are you two getting on then?"

"I just did his measurements this morning. The other guys have been dragging their feet with meeting with me."

"I heard he's kind of a dick," Heath added.

"That's fairly accurate," Melissa added. "I talked to him about that today actually. He's generally pretty cocky in and out of the ring. Didn't get along too well with the guys back home. He's really talented though."

Heath looked him up and down from a distance. "He's a big guy,".

"I'm bigger," Stu said defensively.

"And cockier," Heath added.

* * *

><p>After a long discussion, Stu, Melissa, Heath, and Ryan ended up at the home of Windham Rotonda. Melissa went under the condition that they wouldn't stay long. She was exhausted from her fifteen hour day. Plus, she wanted a little private time with Stu before he left her for a few days.<p>

"It's going to be all dudes here, isn't it?" Melissa asked as they approached the front door.

"Probably. I'll protect you." Ryan put his arm around her.

Stu rolled his eyes. "You're unbelievable, you know that."

Ryan pushed her away. "On second thought, I should probably stay away from you in the event that there are other hot girls here."

"I really hope these new guys don't want to talk shop," Heath knocked to make their presence known.

Windham opened the door. "Welcome! We're just about to do some shots."

Melissa looked around as she walked inside. There were roughly twenty FCW guys inside. "Oh my God, I'm at a frat house, aren't I?"

"No chicks, huh? Come on, Mel. Let's go do some shots." Ryan took her arm and dragged her in to the kitchen.

Melissa looked back at Stu. "Help," she mouthed.

Stu knew she was in good hands and took a seat on the couch. He thought it would be good for Melissa to socialize with the guys and he didn't want to make any of them feel uncomfortable to be around her by clinging to her side. He always turned in to a wall flower in large social gatherings anyway and enjoyed watching people make fools of themselves.

Tim eyed Stu from across the room. He walked over and took a seat on the couch. "Hey. I'm Tim. You want a beer or anything?"

"Not quite yet, thanks. I'm Stu." He extended his hand out. Tim shook his hand firmly in response.

"I know. It's great to meet one of the best heels in the business."

"Thank you very much," Stu's response was genuine. "You're one of the new guys, right? From Boston?"

"Yup. I have the spirit of the fighting Irish in me."

"I'm pretty sure that's Notre Dame, but nice try."

That comment bruised Tim's ego a bit, but you wouldn't know that by the way he laughed in response. It helped to ease the tension between the two men.

Melissa peered in the doorway to the living room and saw Stu and Tim getting along famously. She was going to grab Stu and take him into the kitchen with her, but was called back in to the kitchen.

"Mel!" Heath shouted. "Next round!"

This would be shot number four. She could already feel her stomach turning a bit and face beginning to heat up. Melissa downed the shot like a champ and wandered out to the balcony. She leaned up against the rail and hung her face over the edge hoping that the nights breeze might bring her a little relief.

"Are you ok?" Tim saw her walk by and followed her out to the balcony.

Melissa didn't turn around. "I'm fine."

"Are you going to throw up?" he asked. Tim was concerned. He knew that she didn't handle hard alcohol well.

"Nope. Just a little warm." Tim walked up behind her and started rubbing her back. "Please don't touch me," she requested.

The sliding door opened. "There you are. Stu would kill me if I lost sight of you...," Ryan was confused. "Who are you?"

"Tim. I'm an old friend of Melissa's."

"Not true" Melissa snapped. She hadn't shifted her position on the balcony because she thought that moving might make her feel worse. "I just need a few minutes to gather myself."

"I'll grab, Stu." Ryan headed back inside to grab the Englishman.

Tim went back to rubbing her back. "I asked you not to touch me," Melissa again requested.

The door slid open again and Stu came outside. "Whats wrong, love? Are you not feeling well?"

"I think I want to leave. I'm sorry." Her eyes started to fill up with tears.

"I saw her wander out here. I was just keeping an eye on her," Tim added.

Stu ignored his statement. "Let's get you home, okay?" Stu wrapped his arm around her and guided her off the balcony.

"Nice meeting you," Tim called after him.

Neither Stu nor Melissa responded.

Melissa fell asleep during the drive home. Stu helped her up the stairs to her apartment. Once inside, she headed straight for her bed and flopped down. Stu removed her shoes and crawled in next to her. He desperately wanted to spend the night, but he had an early flight. _Fuck it,_ he thought. _She needs me. _Stu set his alarm for 4am. He kissed Melissa on the forehead and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her close. "Goodnight, love."

* * *

><p><strong>This was a long chapter! Thanks for all the great feedback so far! <strong>


	8. Potential

Stu was seated in Vince McMahon's make shift office in the arena along with Heath, Big Show, and Natalya. Vince addressed them as a group. "As you know, our NXT show is in trouble. We're looking to liven it up with the addition of some new Pro's. I thought of the four of you first. Stu, where you were the winner of season one, you'd make a great addition. Paul, you're one of our most beloved superstars and we need that type of star power to boost ratings. Natalya, you have wrestling in your blood and we want more Divas with good mic skills on the show. And Heath, well, I think this extra exposure would help with your upcoming face turn. We could also play up the Corre's break up on the show. What do you guys think? Obviously, there will be a little extra money in it for you."

"When does the new season start taping?" Natalya asked.

"Well," began Vince. "The production team is meeting with the FCW staff today to make their picks. If everything goes well, we would start taping the following Tuesday night. I will keep you all appraised"

"I'm in," Heath quickly sputtered. It was a no brainer to him. Like Vince said, he could use the air time.

Stu wasn't so sure and Vince sensed his skepticism by the look on his face. "Stu? What are your thoughts on this? We'd love to have a champion as a pro."

Heath looked at him. "Come on, man, this'll be fun!"

"Sure. I'll do it," Stu stated reluctantly. He knew he needed to be there to help out his best friend. "But I don't really think I want my rookie in my corner during my matches."

Vince smiled. "Fine. That can be arranged. That ostracism definitely goes along with your character. We can make it so that you're more hands off in the spotlight, but I'd still appreciate you being helpful behind the scenes with mentoring and all that."

"Absolutely. That won't be a problem whatsoever," Stu wasn't thrilled about this new task, but he always did what was best for the company. He was also trying to avoid backstage heat from the others and wanted to make sure that he would continue to get over with the fans. Being buried in the mid-card was not something Stu hoped for himself. Plus, he would be able to spend more time at FCW and around Melissa.

Stu shot Melissa a text. _Surprise! I'll be spending more time at FCW soon._

* * *

><p>Ben peered into Melissa's office. "Mel, do you have a moment?"<p>

Melissa was organizing all the shorts she had finished over the weekend into piles for the different performers. "Sure. What can I help you with?"

"We're making a big announcement today to the talent and I wanted to make you aware of it first since it does pertain to you." Melissa nodded. "WWE is bringing a few of the guys up for the next season of NXT."

Melissa was genuinely excited. "Good for them! Who is it?"

"Terry, Tim, Hector, Rick, Joe, Derrick, and Chris."

Melissa tried hard to hide her smile. This meant that Tim would not be around much anymore. He would essentially have a babysitter that would help to keep him away from her on a daily basis. "That's great news. I'm guessing you're going to need me to make a few more shorts for each then?"

"Exactly. They're not going to start for another week. Is that enough time to make a few more?" Ben was always so appreciative of the work that Melissa did.

Melissa couldn't wait to get started. She felt like the quicker she finished them, the quicker Tim was out of her hair. "Yeah, I'll get started today. I'm pretty much caught up on everything here."

Ben smiled at Melissa's willingness. "I'll be sending out a list of the pros and rookies in a few, but I wanted to talk to you first. Also, Mel, I wanted to let you know that you're doing an excellent job here. Good work does not go unnoticed."

Melissa was elated. "Thanks, Ben. I really love working here. Everyone has just been so nice to me." It was then that Melissa realized what Stu's text message meant. The outlook e-mail alert message appeared on her computer screen. There it was: _Pro: Wade Barrett, Rookie: Tim Drake._

Melissa jumped up and headed for the gym, her heels clicking hard against the concrete floor. Tim was leaning against the ropes watching Ryan scrimmage with Hector. Tim saw her coming over, but quickly averted his eyes back to the action in the ring.

"Can I talk to you?" Melissa demanded.

Tim didn't look down at her, but instead kept his eyes focused on the action in the ring. "I'm a little busy right now, Mel. Can this wait?"

"No. It can't." She was standing her ground. Tim had never seen her so adamant and angry before.

Tim hopped down and closed the space between them. "You left in a hurry Friday night."

Melissa shook her head. "That's not what this is about. What did you do?"

Tim smirked. "What do you mean, Mel?" Melissa folded her arms. "Oh, right, NXT. Shouldn't you be congratulating me? It's quite an accomplishment. I mean, I've only been here about a week." Melissa didn't budge. "Look, he asked for me."

"Bullshit. I don't believe you." Melissa's eyes filled up with tears. Tim sighed. Even he knew it was inappropriate to comfort her right now. "Please..." She caught herself and choked back her tears. "Please don't ruin this for me. Stu is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"As far as I know he asked to mentor me." He shrugged. "That's what Ben said anyway"

She wiped the tears out from under her eyes. "You're lying."

Tim's tone became soft. "I'm not. Ask him."

She pushed her finger in to his chest. "This is low. Even for you."

'"Hey, we're all trying to get ahead here, right sweetheart? Isn't that why you're dating Stu in the first place?"

"Fuck you, Tim. You don't know the first thing about either of us." Melissa turned away and slowly walked back to her office trying to hide the tears that were reforming in her eyes.

Tim cut her off. "I know you both care about each other a great deal. But I also know the reason that you're crying is because he doesn't know what happened between you and I. And you know that you can't tell him now without losing him."

* * *

><p>"Hey gorgeous," Stu yelled as he and Heath walked towards Melissa's car. She was standing at the back with the trunk open waiting for their flight to arrive. Her red polka dot dress blew in the breeze behind her.<p>

"Hey boys," She kissed Stu. "How was Dallas?"

"Good. Good shows." Heath said. "Thank you for picking us up." Melissa shut the trunk and walked around to the driver side.

Melissa started the car and pulled away from Tampa International Airport. "Do you guys need coffee or anything?"

"No, I really just want to go home." Stu put his head down on her shoulder. "I missed you. When do you have to be to work?"

Melissa tipped her head down on his. "In about an hour."

"Good. Let's ditch this guy and go back to my place for a bit."

"I can hear you guys," Heath added. Stu and Melissa cracked up. "Anyway, big news, Mel! We're both going to be pro's on NXT next season."

"I heard. That is wonderful news. Who is your rookie?"

"I have Hector. I'm counting on you to give me inside information. Do you know anything about him?" Heath was hopeful that Melissa could shed some light on his rookie. "What are his strengths and weaknesses?"

"He's quiet. I don't really know what to tell you. He didn't say much when we were doing his shorts. I bet he's like a silent assassin though."

"I like a challenge," Heath added.

Stu turned around to the back seat and looked at him. "No, you don't. You'll give up on him by week three. You're incredibly lazy."

"Whatever man. I've got this. I'm going to be a better pro than you are."

Stu rolled his eyes. "No, you're not. Stop lying to yourself. It's annoying."

"You're just saying that because you hand picked the best rookie."

Stu smirked "Is he the best? I had no idea."

"You had inside information, man. Not fair."

"Stop bitching, Miller. You could've picked your rookie, too, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Heath got out of the car. Melissa met him at the back.

"It'll be fine. Hector is a nice guy. You're going to be a great pro."

Stu yelled out the car window at Heath. "Tim is going to destroy Hector. Just you wait!"

"Shut up, Bennett!" Heath hollered back.

Melissa was laughing at their banter. "You really like getting under his skin, don't you?"

Stu laughed. "It's just so easy."

Melissa knew that she needed to approach this subject in a sensitive way, but she wasn't quite sure how. "I didn't think you even wanted to be a part of NXT. Why did you decide to do it?"

"Well, Vince asked me so I couldn't really say 'no'." Plus, Heath and I can really play up our upcoming angle. It works out well for everyone, I suppose. And, I'll be seeing you some more." He kissed her shoulder.

She need more information on how they were matched up. It would kill her if Tim was right and Stu had in fact picked him. "Did you guys really pick your own rookies?"

"I made a request. I asked for Tim because I feel like he has a lot of potential, just needs a little guidance is all. Plus, you two seem to be getting along famously."

Melissa dismissed his claims. "I wouldn't say that. I mean, I see him at work but that is it." Stu was silent. "You didn't pick him because of me, did you?"

"No. He talked to me for a bit at the party and he seems to have a great deal of respect for me, which is something that I plan on abusing to a great extent." Melissa smiled. She knew that Stu would drive him crazy. He was a perfectionist. Tim was not a hard worker at all. Watching their personalities clash on a daily basis would be enjoyable to say the least. "I also found it interesting that he followed you out to the balcony when you weren't feeling well at the party. So, I know that he is capable of feeling emotion on some level. Chris was such a positive mentor to me and look how far I've come. I should pay it back and help out someone else. They're already saying that Tim is going to be a big star in the company. At least, that is the rumor going around. Vince is high on him."

"Interesting. I think you've already pin pointed all of his weaknesses and you've only spent five minutes with him. Is this going to be a bigger commitment for you though?" Melissa would've done or said anything at that moment to get him to drop out of this new responsibility.

"Not really. We go live just before Smackdown. I'm also being rewarded rather handsomely for it." Stu put his hand on her knee and started rubbing her thigh. Melissa had been so tense through this conversation that she jumped at the touch. "Which is great for us."

_He just said "us." _Melissa thought. It was the first time that Stu had referred to them as being together. Even though they had never had the discussion she knew that they were a couple. "I missed you."

Stu put his arm around her. "I missed you too, love. Can you come up for a bit? There is something I want to discuss with you."

With trepidation, Melissa helped Stu carry his bags up to the apartment. She was absolutely blind sided by his need for a serious talk. He walked over to the couch and sat down. "Whats going on?" Melissa had never seen Stu so serious. Her heart and mind raced.

"My last relationship...," Stu hesitated for a second. "One of the reasons why last relationship ended was because my girlfriend thought I was cheating on her. Constantly"

"Okay," Melissa's heart jumped into her throat. _He thinks I'm cheating on him_

"I just need to say that I would never cheat on you...or anyone for that matter," he continued. "I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I care for you tremendously, Mel."

Melissa put her hand on his leg and smiled to help make whatever Stu was about to say easier for him. "I really like you, too."

It took him a few seconds to gather his next thought. "I'm just afraid that a few weeks or months from now you'll realize that this isn't the type of relationship you want."

She was confused. It seemed like Stu was trying to talk her out of being in a relationship with him. "What do you mean? I know how hectic your schedule is, babe."

"Right, but I'm gone for days, sometimes weeks. I'm on the road all the time. My schedule is unpredictable. I just don't want you to come to me in a few months and say...and say that you can't do this anymore." Stu had spent his flight home rehearsing what he was going to say to her. It was important to him to be upfront and honest about how he felt. The last thing he wanted was to be hurt by anyone again, especially Melissa. He looked over at her and could tell she was deep in thought. Stu started to worry in that moment that he was going to lose her.

Melissa felt bad. Stu was really concerned about history repeating itself. Melissa stared down at the carpet. She needed to choose her words carefully. "I can't promise you that yet." She bit her lower lip in thought. This was too much for her to take in at this moment. And if there was ever a time for her to be honest about her past with Tim, it was now. "This is all so new. I'm having a great time with you and I think you're absolutely wonderful. I also think that there is definitely something amazing between us." She leaned up against him and he instinctively put his arm around her. "We do need time to figure out what that is though. Right now I can tell you that I want to be with you and I want to get to know you more. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll get promoted and we'll be driving to cities together bickering with each other and will never be apart."

"Right. I would love that actually." Stu smiled. Melissa was offering him as much reassurance as she could at this point in their relationship.

She straddled his lap and took his face in her hands. "I don't want you to spend this time worrying about what is going to happen. Who knows? You might want nothing to do with me tomorrow. Can we deal with things as they come up?" She moved her hands to his shoulders.

Stu nodded. "Thank you."

"Now, I don't need to know about what's happened in the past. I'm sure we've both been burned before. I know I have. You and I are together now. That's what matters." As much as that was for Stu, Melissa was taking her own words to heart as well.

* * *

><p><strong>I really appreciate everyones comments on this. This is the first story I have written and I'm excited about the direction it's taken. Please feel free to share any comments that you have! <strong>


	9. She likes the quiet, too

"Do you really think that's necessary?" Stu groaned. Melissa had been dragging him around IKEA for upwards of an hour. He was starting to feel overwhelmed by all the textiles and colors that danced around the aisles. Despite his aversion to shopping, Stu, hunched over the shopping cart, continued pushing it along the narrow aisles like a champ.

Melissa threw the bath mat into his carriage. She responded sarcastically. "Yes, Stuart, I think a bath mat is a necessity. What the hell have you been using?"

He shrugged. "I just put a towel on the floor. I don't see what the big deal is." He was growing defensive. He had asked Melissa for help, but he had no idea what type of shopping journey he was in for. Being a designer, she loved coordinating colors. Being a woman, she loved shopping. Especially if it was not her money.

"You asked me to help you make your apartment feel warm and inviting." Melissa was trying to be helpful. She walked over and put her arms around his waist. "Why don't you pick out the things you want and that's what we'll get? I'll put the bath mat back."

Stu hesitated for a bit before responding. "No, don't. I want it now. Just in green."

Melissa put her hand on her hip and smirked. "Stu, everything you have picked out so far is green."

"Right. And you said I could get what I want." She felt like Stu had regressed to being two years old with his justification.

Melissa swallowed hard. "Okay, I'll go get you a green one." Wandering around IKEA was a true test of their relationship. This was the first time there was any type of conflict between them. Melissa noticed how miserable Stu was and decided to give in. "You know, I think this is enough for the day. We've done your bathroom and that's a great accomplishment."

"Thank God. Let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

><p>Once home, Melissa took to setting up the bathroom while Stu cued up the movie. She looked at herself in the mirror. This would be the last chance she would have to tell Stu about Tim before she drove him to the airport at 5:30am. Melissa was incredibly disappointed in herself for keeping it a secret this long. It was supposed to be easy. If she ignored Tim he would go away. Instead, he pushed his way back into her life. Originally, Melissa didn't tell Stu to spare his feelings. She didn't want him to worry about her working along side an ex. Now, they both would be working with him. Unfortunately, Tim was going to become a huge part of both of their lives.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Mel? Mel! Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you." Tim screamed at her from across the parking lot. <em>  
><em><br>Melissa turned around quickly. She was carrying her heels in her hand. "It's over. Please don't call me." She continued stumbling to her car. _

_"Mel, I love you!"_

_"Fuck you!" she screamed behind her. Tim ran to catch up with her. She was sobbing. He grabbed her face forcefully and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "Please...Please leave me alone."_

_"I didn't mean to hurt you." She began hitting his chest trying to break free from the hold he had on her. Tim let her go. "Mel, calm down. Calm down! I can explain."_

_"Explain? Explain!" She threw her hands in the air and her shoes went flying. "What can you explain? That's your fucking girlfriend in there, Tim. You told me you were broken up. You fucking lied to me, you asshole!" Mel took her keys out of her purse and unlocked her car door. _

_A car pulled in to the parking lot. "Stop making a scene." Tim calmly told her as he bent down to pick up her shoes. "I didn't mean for it to happen this way." _

_"Well, it did. You did this. I cared about you. I reall-"_

_"I care about you too." he interrupted._

_"Don't...okay?" She wiped her tears away. "I'm over it." _

* * *

><p>"Mel?" Stu walked in to the bathroom. "It looks amazing in here." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. "I was wondering what was taking you so long. I didn't hear you make any noise for a little while. You can't do anything quietly, you know? You're like a bull in a china shop."<p>

Melissa laughed. It was so comforting to have his strong hands around her. She knew she was protected when she was in Stu's embrace. "I started day dreaming, babe. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry." He started kissing down her neck to her shoulder. "God, you're so beautiful. Are you sure you want to watch a movie tonight?"

"Not now," she moaned. She could feel Stu getting erect. His hands roamed under her shirt and lightly tickled her stomach. Melissa leaned forward and pressed herself into his package eliciting a tiny moan from the Englishman.

Stu laughed. "Is this you trying to take charge?" He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "You know you will lose." Melissa turned to face him. She ran her hand over the bulge in his jeans. Stu leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. As if it was possible, Melissa could feel him growing harder with each stroke. "That feels good, love." Without responding, Melissa took her hand away and walked out of the bathroom. It took Stu a moment to realize she was no longer standing there. "Mel?" No response. He walked outside the bathroom. Melissa had taken her shirt off and thrown it on the floor. "Love, where did you go?" He walked in to the living room and found her jeans on the couch. "Are you playing hide and seek?" he yelled as he walked towards his bedroom. He heard the door shut. Her bra was hanging on the door knob. He knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"You know who it is." Stu tried the door, but it was locked.

"You'll have to come back. I'm afraid I'm not decent."

"Damn it," Stu mumbled under his breath. She had got him all hot and bothered. If she was trying to take charge, he was going to one up her. "Mel! I demand you open this door right now!"

Stu heard her giggle on the other side. "Or what?"

"Or...or...I'll break it down!"

Melissa unlocked the door. "Count to five." Stu counted to five in his head and opened up his bedroom door. Melissa's underpants were lying on the floor next to his bed. She was sitting up in his bed, his green sheets draped around her chest.

Stu swallowed hard. "I told you. You'll lose," he said smiling. The sound of a vibrating ring tone emanated from his pocket. "Shit, hang on a second, love." He took the phone out to silence it. "It's Tim. I have to take this." Melissa tensed. "Hey Tim. Yeah, that is the flight I booked. Yup, it's going to be you, Heath, Hector, and myself in the rental." Stu mimed Tim's blabbing with his hand. "I'm looking forward to it too. Meet you there at 6am." Stu was trying to rush him off the phone. "Great. Okay, yup. Uh-huh. Bye bye." Stu hung up and placed the phone on his dresser, he pulled his shirt up over his head. "Now, where were we?" Stu removed his pants and tossed them to the side.

"I don't know. Remind me what we were doing?" she replied cheekily.

Stu crawled in to bed on top of Melissa. "Well, if I remember correctly. You left me high and dry in the bathroom." He kissed her neck. "That was very naughty of you." Stu ran his hands along her form over the sheet.

She smiled in pleasure. "I put all that work in to your bathroom. Didn't want to ruin anything."

"You should be rewarded for your efforts." He sat back and pulled the sheet down revealing her naked form.

"Not so fast." She sat up on her knees and leaned in towards him. Melissa wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down to her mouth. She parted his lips with her tongue and kissed him aggressively. She was finally getting her chance to be rough with him. This was the direction their love making had taken. Usually Stu was in control, but Melissa would have none of that tonight.

"It's cute. What you're trying to do here." Melissa blushed at the reaction she received from her lover. He was trying to throw her off her game. Stu was uncomfortable in this role. Melissa decided that the best response to his comment didn't involve words, but rather her mouth and fingers. She pushed him back on the bed and pulled his boxer briefs down quickly. "What are you doing?" She bent down and kissed from the tip of his manhood to the base. Stu smiled watching her work. He brought his hands down to help her guide her, but she quickly sat up, grabbed his hands, and pinned them down to the bed with her own. "You know I am much stronger than you, love."

"I need to use my hands. I'll let you go if you promise to lay there like a good boy." Stu smirked and nodded. He was getting so turned on by her quiet aggression. In the past few weeks she had gone for being an anxious wreck to being completely comfortable in his presence. Her new found confidence was sexy, especially when played up in the bedroom. Melissa wrapped her hand around him and brought her wet mouth over him. Stu laid his head back and relaxed. While it was hard for him to relinquish control, he was determined to enjoy it. She moved her mouth gracefully up and down. His moans increasing in their volume with each take. Her lips provided suction at the tip while her tongue slightly penetrated him.

Stu felt his thighs tighten. "This feels wonderful, but you need to stop. I'm afraid there will be nothing left for you." Melissa stopped. She climbed on top of him and bit her lip as she slowly slid herself down on to him. This was the first time she had ever been on top. Stu never gave her the opportunity because he thought she was still too nervous to show all of herself to him. This was more than a sex act; it was her showing him just how comfortable she was around him and how safe he made her feel. Stu placed his hands on her hips and watched her as she slowly found her rhythm. Usually, he would use his hands to control his partner, but this was a learning experience for both of them. He reached his hands up her stomach and cupped her breasts squeezing her nipples in his hands. She let out a soft moan. Stu had observed that her eyes had been shut this whole time; she was concentrating hard, and had refrained from verbal expressions of ecstasy. "Hey..." he whispered. "You ok?"

She opened her eyes and smiled without stopping. "Yeah...are you?"

"Yeah. Of course. I have a beautiful girl on top of me." Stu sat up and placed his hands on her behind, squeezing her cheeks. "I just want you to look at me," he whispered against her lips. He helped guide her faster on him. Their breathing quickened together. Melissa loved the way his skin felt against her chest. The friction felt amazing against her nipples. She ran her hands through his hair and stared in to his eyes. Her dark brown eyes clouded over with lust. This felt right. He should be in charge. She leaned in to kiss him, moaning in to his mouth. He felt her tighten around him.

"Oh shit..." Melissa's tongue was tangled with Stu's. Her face heated up and her leg muscles tightened. She placed her hands on his shoulders and dug her nails in to his flesh as she came hard on top of him. Stu yelped at the contact, but that only helped to bring him closer. He pulled out of her momentarily, and laid her down on the bed. "Wait..." she said, her breathing still hitched. "Lay down." Stu rolled over on to his back while Melissa's mouth picked up where she left off. It took seconds for Stu to explode, coating her mouth with his cum. She swallowed everything he had given her and licked her lips. "Mmm...delicious..." she smiled and crawled in next to him.

Stu laid there with a satisfied smirk, trying to catch his breath. "You win..." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled close. She had proven him wrong.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for the ride, love. I'll be back on Wednesday morning, per usual." Stu kissed the top of her head.<p>

"Morning," Tim had been waiting outside for Stu. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of Melissa before they took off together. He acknowledged them both. "Stu. Mel. Good to see you this morning."

Melissa nodded. "Good to see you, Tim. Have fun in Chicago, you two. Stay out of trouble." She needed to limit her contact with them together as much as possible.

Stu had been hoping that he wouldn't be seated next to Tim on the flight over. He would be spending every waking moment over the next four days with this kid and he needed his solitude. The plane ride to their destination was the only time he got to read or nap.

"So, what are you listening to?" Tim was seriously beginning to annoy him. Stu held up the screen of his iPod so that Tim could see it. _I am the Resurrection _by the Stone Roses was filling Stu's ears at that point in time. Tim flashed him a thumbs up. He managed to avoid speaking to him until it was time to land. "So, how long have you and Melissa been together?"

Stu didn't like discussing his personal life with anyone, let alone a complete stranger. Heath didn't even know most of the details of his relationship with Melissa and he wasn't about to divulge them to some rookie. "Just a few weeks."

"She's great, isn't she?" Tim looked wistfully at the seat back in front of him.

Stu shot him a look that was a combination of anger and confusion. He shifted in his seat. "I like her very much."

Tim snickered. "Most of the guys did. She's just very..." Tim smiled at the thought of Melissa "...approachable, you know?"

Stu was getting suspicious. "She said that she didn't really interact with you too much."

"Oh, she didn't, actually." Tim back peddled. "Just at shows. And sometimes after shows. She was never really in to the parties." Tim sensed Stu's disdain for his comments. "I'm sorry. Moving down here has been tough. I've been trying to bond with her, but she's been pretty resistant so far."

Stu pulled out his phone as they were taxiing in to the terminal. He smiled at the text that flashed across his screen _Don't murder him. _He could understand why Melissa wasn't bonding with Tim. Much like him, Melissa liked the quiet. Stu thought back to previous conversations about Tim that they had. He could see why she would think associating with Tim would be detrimental to her career. He was a chatterbox and a bit of wild card. Stu clearly had his work cut out for him.

* * *

><p>Ryan was waiting for Melissa in her office when she arrived that morning. He was holding the cow print vest in his hands. "Morning, Mel!" he shouted with his usual enthusiasm. "I hate to do this to you, but I ripped this over the weekend at a house show."<p>

Melissa looked it over. "No problem. I can fix that for you now. You do have four more though, you know?" She winked at him. Melissa began searching through her thread box for the brown thread and bobbin she had used to originally assemble it.

"I know." Ryan's speech turned serious. "Look, that's not the only reason I'm here."

"Oh yeah, what's up?" Melissa smiled at Ryan. "Lady troubles? Is that really how the vest got ripped?"

Ryan cut right to the chase. "What's going on with you and Tim?"

Melissa kept searching through the box. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean. I come out to the balcony last Friday at Windham's and he's rubbing your back. He said he was an old friend of yours and said he was lying."

Melissa brushed her bangs out of her face. "I don't remember that happening." She did.

"Then, you go out to the gym the other day and start yelling at him about something. Mel, I need to ask you, are you cheating on Stu?"

She looked Ryan dead in the eyes. "No. Never."

Ryan threw his hands up. "Then what's going on? Something isn't right."

She thought for a moment before responding. "It's complicated."

"It usually is. I'm not here to judge you. I'm your friend too. And if you say that you're not cheating with Tim, then I have to believe you."

"You don't have to believe me. I'd like you to choose to believe me." She bit her lip in thought.

"Fine. I choose to believe you then. So, what is it?"

"We used to be involved." Melissa spoke slowly and deliberately. She was thinking back to how it had all gone down. "It didn't end well. He, apparently, never really got over it. I tried ignoring him at first and being professional here, but he was just so inappropriate towards me."

"That's simple enough. Why didn't you tell Stu?"

"I don't know why really. I guess...our relationship was so new. We started dating practically the same week that Tim moved down here. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable or jeopardize it in any way. I didn't know if he'd act out. And now...they're on the road together. Stu was so excited to be mentoring him. I wanted to tell him last night, but that would've been a horrible way for their first trip to begin. I never thought that this would happen. Now, if I tell Stu, he's going to see Tim every day and think about it every day."

This wasn't the most shocking story Ryan had ever heard. He leaned forward. "And you had no idea he was moving here?"

"No." Melissa shook her head. "He didn't know I left Boston and came here either. I ended it two months before I moved. And my move was so sudden. Plus, I never got the e-mail Ben sent out about the meeting where they were announcing the new guys. I was literally blindsided when I walked in here and heard his name announced."

"It makes sense to me, but I gotta say, you've dug yourself into a hole here, missy. Stu might not show it, but he's a fragile guy. Especially when it comes to women. He really likes you, Mel." He sighed. "You know you need to do the right thing."

"Thanks. Just...please don't say anything to anyone. I'm the one that needs to tell Stu."

Ryan scratched his forehead. "You better do it sooner rather than later. Are you forgetting who he is out on the road with right now?"

* * *

><p>"Do you ever eat anything other than chicken?" Tim asked. He was destroying a bacon cheeseburger.<p>

"Not usually." Stu was beginning to get annoyed by Tim's constant questioning. Stu glared at him. "Did you feel like you just learned something beneficial?" He was being sarcastic. Heath, Stu and their rookies had just spent two hours driving from Raw in Chicago up to Milwaukee for Smackdown. Heath and Hector had decided to stay at the hotel while Tim and Stu ventured out for something to eat. Stu was originally hoping to be alone for a bit, but Tim wanted to tag along.

"I know you're not thrilled about having to do this, but I just want to thank you for agreeing to take me on. I know that you'll be able to help me develop in to a stronger performer."

"Well, that's the plan anyway. You need to work hard though. I can only show you so much." Tim nodded. "You need to listen to the advice I give. I haven't been in the WWE for very long, but I can help you stay on their good side. You have to be a company man. Those are things you'll find out as you progress through the ranks." Stu had Tim's undivided attention. "The best advice Chris ever gave me was to make sure I was strong in all areas. When I started out, my mic skills were excellent, but I lacked experience in the ring. I still had to develop my character and NXT was the perfect opportunity. Wade Barrett in 2011 is much different from Wade Barrett 2010. Have you always worked as heel?"

Tim took a sip of his water and nodded. "Always. I'm more comfortable as a heel."

"It's easier and far more fun to work as a heel. I've never worked as a face before. Not so sure how I would fair, either. To be a good heel, you have to have a good gimmick. You can be a cowardly hell or you can be a conceited heel, much like myself."

"I'm just a destructive heel. Similar to...Sheamus, I guess."

"That's good. So, you're a bit of a bully, then?" Stu had no idea how big of a bully Tim really was. "Stephen is a good friend of mine. I'm sure he'd be willing to chat with you a bit. Are you nervous at all about tomorrow?" Stu reached in to his pocket to grab his phone.

"Nope. Looking forward to it." Tim was confident.

"Good. You'll do great." Stu had received a text from Melissa. _Saw you destroy Drew tonight. You are so sexy. Whoever took those measurements was so thorough! New shorts look great. 3. _Stu smiled.

"Melissa?"

Stu didn't look up while he returned her text. "Yeah."

"You're a lucky guy. She's crazy about you."

Stu sat back in his seat and thought for a moment before speaking. He realized that Tim probably had this information because of their geographical bond. "I'm crazy about her, too."

* * *

><p><strong>Again, big thank you to all the feed back! I promise there is going to be some actual wrestling in the upcoming chapters. Sorry for all the smut! It's just the most fun to write :)<strong> **As always, all feed back is welcome. I hope you're enjoying the story!**


	10. He Knew

Anxiety was high in the U.S. Cellular Arena as seven FCW wrestlers were set to make their debut as NXT rookies. The popularity of the show had dwindled ever since Wade Barrett had won the first season. Vince had assembled a group of "must see" superstars to mentor this new group of talent. Stu and Heath were also working on their own angle involving the split of their stable, The Corre. Vince knew that by having the two members mentor competing rookies, they could play this up on NXT and Smackdown.

Stu and Heath sat in The Corre's locker room along side their rookies. Hector was lacing up his boots, 50 Cent blaring out of his headphones; Heath was nursing a protein bar; and Stu was struggling to think of more ways to psych up Tim for his NXT debut.

Stu pointed at Heath. "Whatever advice he gives Hector, I want you to ignore it. It's probably rubbish," Stu advised. Tim high-fived Stu while Heath gave him the stink eye. "Come on, Miller, I want the groups break up to be convincing."

Tim was finding it hard to contain his nervous energy. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt while his legs bounced up and down with excitement. "When do we find out what the challenges for tonight are?"

"When you're in the ring." Heath responded.

Tim took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "It's almost time," Stu informed him. "Let's go for a quick walk." Tim and Stu exited the locker room and started walking towards gorilla. "Remember what I told you. Speak slowly and deliberately. Do whatever you can to get the crowd against you whether thats cheap heat comments like "Milwaukee sucks!" or extending an attack longer than you should. You know what you're doing out there."

"Thanks, man. I got this." Tim felt a sense of relief. The long walk from the locker room to the gorilla position was littered with various super stars and backstage personnel all sizing him up.

"You'll wait here until they call for you." Stu pulled out his phone and began sorting through his phone book. "I'm going to make a quick call." Stu walked around the corner for a little privacy. He didn't want Tim becoming more involved in his relationship. Tim's attitude towards Melissa had already put Stu off enough as it was.

"Hey!" It had been almost two days since Melissa had spoken to Stu. She was sitting in front of her lap top at home ready to load the live feed for NXT. "How's my favorite Englishman?"

Stu smiled at the sound of her voice. "Wonderful, darling. Are you tuned in?"

"Yes. This is so exciting. Is Tim nervous?" Melissa was nervous for the both of them. She was hoping Stu was going to do the right thing and help put Tim over.

"A little bit." Stu walked around the corner to see if Tim was still waiting by gorilla. "I'm a tad nervous for him."

Melissa dismissed his concern. "Don't be. He'll be fine. He's a big boy."

"Right, but he's a reflection on me." Stu agreed with her claim, but he was wondering what this was going to do for his career. He was already over as a heel. Belittling someone that was more powerful or represented themselves as a bigger heel than him might turn him in to a face. They needed to work together to solidify both of their places in the WWE. "Mel, I need to continue to work hard to stay over. You know that."

"You're right. Best of luck to both of you. I'll be watching."

* * *

><p>Shockingly, the first challenge for the NXT rookies was the "Talk the Talk Challenge." Each rookie was given 30 seconds to talk about a topic. Tim was given "candy" as a suggestion. He confidently spoke about how decimating the WWE roster would be so easy, "it would be like stealing candy from a baby." Hector had done surprisingly well also. For a man of few words, Hector came in just behind Tim with a promo inspired by the word "photograph." The biggest pop came from the line "Look out, fellas, I'm going to be all over your ladies walls soon. She'll be thinking of me the whole time."<p>

"Well done, Miller," Stu stated while applauding for Hector. "Something tells me that you had nothing to do with that though." He smiled sheepishly. "Am I right?"

"Dude, I don't know where that came from," Heath was astonished by his rookie's performance.  
>Matt Striker took to the center of the ring. "Coming up next on NXT, we have our first ProRookie tag team match. Wade Barrett and his rookie Tim Drake against Derrick Jones and the Big Show."

The Corre's music hit to a pop of "boos" from the audience. Wade Barrett sauntered down to the ring, his hands gripped firmly on his Intercontinental title, and looking more smug than ever. Not only did he learn how to be a better all around performer from Chris Jericho, but he also knew how to play to the crowd as a pro. "You're just jealous!" he yelled to his less than adoring fans. He patted Tim on the back, congratulating him on a job well done before handing his title to the ref. Big Show stood in the corner with his rookie Derrick making eyes at the former bare knuckle champ and his fresh meat.

Big Show was fired up, waiting for Barrett and his rookie to decide who would get things started. Barrett was ready to rehash his previous feud with Big Show, but decided a better, and more heel like move, would be to have Tim start things off with the worlds largest athlete.

Tim charged at Show with gusto, but was immediately knocked back with a shoulder block. Show picked Tim up by the hair and threw him in the corner where he applied three consecutive chest slaps that echoed throughout the arena. Tim was doubled over in pain, his hand shielding his chest from Show's monster hands. Barrett held on to the rope with a bored look on his face. Turning his attention from Barrett, Show hit Tim with a head butt, knocking him down hard on the mat. Show had definitely put his rookie in a great position to tag in.

Tim wobbled to his feet as Derrick bounced off the hopes, grabbing Tim's head and slamming him in to the mat. Derrick went for the cover. The ref counted "One...Two..." but Tim kicked out at the last second. Barrett was lackadaisically cheering for his rookie to be successful. Derrick irish whipped Tim in to the ropes and hit him with a clothes line knocking him down even harder on the mat. Derrick climbed to the top rope to apply the flying elbow, one of Barrett's signature moves, but Tim rolled out of the way just as Derrick was about to come crashing down. Both rookies laid out in the ring, lifeless. Eventually, both men started slowly crawling to tag the hands of their pros.

Barrett and Show were tagged in simultaneously by their rookies. Barrett instantly went at Show with the big boot, but Show grabbed his foot, and pushed him to the mat. Barrett jumped up and the two men circled around each other waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. The two athletes lunged at each other crushing their foreheads together and locking arms. Show pushed Barrett in to the ropes which gave Wade the leverage he needed to apply a devastating clothesline knocking Big Show down to the ground. Barrett started thrusting his heavy, booted foot along the Big Shows torso causing him to spasm on the mat. Once the giant lay still, Barrett made the tag, Tim made the pin, and Rookie and Pro celebrated their victory in the ring together. Wade raised his Intercontinental title high showing the world why he was yet again victorious.

* * *

><p>Melissa jumped from her seat when Tim scored the victory. She was proud of both mens flawless performance. She picked up her phone and shot Stu a text <em>Very entertaining, gentlemen! Brava!<em>

Even though it was only 9:30, Melissa crawled in to bed. Questions of uncertainty had been keeping her up the past few nights. She planned to tell Stu about her previous relationship with Tim tomorrow. Ryan was right. She was blowing this out of proportion. Per usual, her anxiety was getting the best of her and her mind was racing a million miles a minute. She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and attempting to get one night of sound sleep.

* * *

><p>Ben was replacing the punching bag in the gym when Melissa arrived for work the next morning. "You look exhausted, Mel. Is everything okay?" Melissa was exhausted. She had spent last night tossing and turning thinking about how Stu would react to her news.<p>

"Just couldn't get comfortable last night," Melissa yawned. She held up her iced coffee like a trophy. "but I'll be ok." She continued towards her office.

"Mel, I need to speak to you when you have a sec. Are you free now, actually?" He let the punching bag fall to the ground. "I need to get one of the guys to help me with this anyway," Melissa nodded. "Let's walk and talk, shall we?" They started ambulating towards the hallway containing their offices. "I'm sure Stu told you about the European tour we have coming up. Usually at our Smackdown and Raw tapings we have two wardrobe designers on hand, but for the European shows, we have to split them up since they both tape in different cities. Headquarters has asked if you'd be interested in going as a back up for the Smackdown taping."

The smile on Melissa's face reached from ear to ear. "Obviously! That's an amazing opportunity."

"Great. I figured that you would say 'yes,'" Brian shook her hand. Melissa's prediction of her future with Stu hadn't been far off. She was quickly working her way up the ranks. "You should also know that everyone has been very pleased with the work that you're doing. Depending on how you handle yourself this trip, you'll probably be next in line when a spot opens."

They stood at the doorway of Melissa's office. "Thanks, Ben. I'm sure your kind words have helped."

Melissa settled in to begin her day. Another torn vest sat on her desk with a note from Ryan simply stating _Sorry, Mel_. She had to laugh. What the hell was Ryan doing to these vests where they were constantly getting destroyed? He doesn't even wear them when he wrestles.

"Hello gorgeous," Mel turned around to see Stu standing there.

"Stu!" Melissa ran over to him and jumped in his arms. He was dying to see Melissa and made Heath stop by FCW on their way home from the airport. "I'm so happy to see you!" She was holding on to him for dear life and he returned the grip. "I have some awesome news to tell you!" Seeing Stu walk in to her office put her over the moon. She had a great job and a wonderful man. "I'm coming on tour with you guys to Europe! Ben asked me to help with wardrobe!"

"That's wonderful news, love!" Even though Stu already knew, he acted surprised. He had said something to Ben about making sure she would be put on the Smackdown tour so they could be together. He wanted her meet his family and friends, show her all his old haunts, and spend more than two days in her company. "We should celebrate tonight."

"I'd love that," Melissa bit her lip. It was now or never. "Do you have a few minutes right now?"

"Sure, but I think we're going to need more time to celebrate appropriately," he winked at her. Melissa knew she owed it to him. He sat down in the spare chair in her office.

"I need to talk to you about something," Melissa leaned back in front of her desk. She folded her arms and looked down at the ground.

Stu was concerned. "Everything else okay?"

Melissa spoke slowly. "I think so...I'm afraid I haven't been totally upfront with you." Stu sat back in the chair. Melissa took a deep breath and looked at him. "I really should've said something to you sooner, but it just got away from me."

"I'm sure it's not that bad. Just spit it out, Mel." Stu was trying to be encouraging, but he had a hard time being empathetic.

"Tim and I dated," she spat out. "It didn't go on long." Melissa sighed deeply. "He was actually also dating someone else. I didn't know that detail at the time." Stu looked down at the ground and rubbed his face. He didn't say anything, which kept Melissa talking. "Like I said, it was very brief. I didn't know he was moving down here. He didn't know I had left and..."

Stu was clearly trying to collect his thoughts. "Okay...okay...how long ago was this?" He was remaining surprisingly calm.

Melissa looked down and licked her lips. "I ended it about two months ago."

"Two months? That's not a very long time," Stu was stoic. He appeared to be contemplating his next question. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Her voice was mousy. "We were so new and I didn't want to give you any sense of doubt about where we stood."

Stu shut the door to her office and walked towards her. "So you just...completely neglected to inform me?" He clenched his hands into a fist. Stu was furious. He had trusted Melissa implicitly. Now he had reason to doubt everything else she had told him.

Melissa's eyes met his. "I didn't think he would become a part of our lives."

"You're right, Mel! You didn't think!" He turned away from her and walked towards the door. "Is there anything else you have to say?"

Melissa swallowed hard, her voice was still quiet. She was surprised at his reaction. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Stu laughed. "Really? And I should believe you?"

Melissa was starting to become frustrated. "I didn't lie to you, I just never told you."

"Oh! Like that's any better!" Stu was screaming at her. Melissa was afraid that everyone in the gym could hear them. Luckily, it was still early in the morning. Stu shoved his finger in her face, Melissa looked away. "What else are you keeping from me?"

"Absolutely nothing," She was getting choked up. "Like I said, it just got away from me."

Stu quickly cut her off. "What was he doing on the porch with you that night?"

"Making sure I was okay, I guess. I went out there alone. He followed me. Ask Ryan."

"Ryan knows about this!" This pushed Stu over the edge. Melissa nodded realizing it that moment it was best to keep everyone else out of this. "You told Ryan before me?"

"He approached me while you guys were away this weekend and told me I should tell you." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "It just never seemed like a good time. I can promise you, Stu, that there is absolutely nothing going on between Tim and I. I feel nothing towards him, but you..." she wiped her eyes."

He didn't want to hear what pathetic comparison she was going to give him. "So, you needed someone else to tell you to tell me?"

Mel chocked back her tears. "No, I just.."

Stu leaned in close. "...just what?"

She threw her hands in the air in surrender. "Fucked up...Big time." Melissa reached up and grabbed his face, turning him to look at her. "There is absolutely nothing going on between Tim and I or anyone else, for that matter, but you needed to know. I absolutely should have told you sooner." Her eyes started filling up again with tears when she saw the hurt on his face. "And I am very, very sorry that I didn't."

Stu wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She sobbed into his shirt. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head. He wasn't quite sure what to think of all this. He knew Melissa wasn't a malicious person. Stu thought back over the last few weeks. She had been reserved when speaking of Tim. She tried her best to keep Tim out of her life - out of their life. When Tim started becoming involved, she attempted to accept it. Stu wondered if it was because she was trying to protect his feelings about the past or Tim's feelings about her future with Stu.

"I can't be here right now..." Stu let go of Melissa and walked out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Do you think he's overreacting? How will he act towards Tim? How will the trip to Europe go? <strong>

**Thank you all again for the helpful feedback! This is the first story I've ever done and you're making it such a fun experience. Per usual, feel free to share your thoughts. I hope you're still enjoying the story.**


	11. Drink

On a rare, rainy Tampa evening, Heath, Matt, Ryan and Stu all sat around a circular table inside Hyde Park House. The three friends had decided to take Stu out that evening in an attempt to cheer him up over Melissa. It was just two days prior that Melissa had disclosed to him her previous relationship with Tim. To say it went terribly would be an understatement. Melissa knew that withholding that information from Stu was wrong and she had made many attempts to get in touch with him since she told him. Stu had ignored every text and phone call she sent his way.

Stu didn't intend on cutting Melissa out of his life completely. He just needed some time to wrap his brain around it. He'd dealt with the news by going to the gym, cleaning his apartment, and drinking. Stu turned to his dear friend Stella Artois for some relief during this time as well. So far this evening, he'd met with Stella three times.

"You need to talk to her eventually," Heath said. No matter how many times they had tried throughout the evening, they kept going back to Melissa.

Stu nodded. He was ripping up his beer coaster in his hands. "I know...I will."

"How's Catie?" Ryan was trying to change the subject.

"She's great. All her grad school applications are done, so now we just wait and see where she ends up," Matt replied.

"Surprised she let you out tonight," Ryan laughed.

"Well, um, she's out with Mel tonight," Matt added awkwardly.

Eager to keep the conversation off Melissa, Heath changed the subject again. "What is she going to study?"

Ryan mumbled almost under his breath. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" He motioned to towards the door with the side of his head. All four men turned towards the door to see Melissa and Catie walk in to the bar.

Melissa took one look at the table and grabbed Catie's arm. "I think we should leave."

"Don't act weird. We can say 'hi' and just get a different table," Catie stated nonchalantly.

"Or we can just get out of here and go to one of the the other ten thousand bars in Tampa." Catie started walking towards the table, but Melissa grabbed her arm. "Seriously, Catie, he doesn't want to talk to me. I don't want to make this weird." There was an intense anxiousness in her voice. Catie walked over to the table while Melissa wandered over to the bar. "Can I have a Stella, please?" she asked while rifling through her purse.

"Hello gentlemen. Fancy meeting you here," Catie addressed the table.

"I swear I didn't tell her we were coming here," Matt added.

"He didn't. Melissa and I went to see a band next door. They were dreadful, so we came over here to grab a drink instead." Catie was being honest. Catie was the closest thing Melissa had to real friend and confidant in Tampa. Catie only knew that Stu and Melissa were having problems based on what Matt told her. Melissa surely didn't offer up the information herself.

Stu got up from his seat with out saying anything and headed towards the bar. He stood next to Melissa. No greeting or acknowledgement was thrown her way. Stu threw thirty dollars down on the counter. "Give me four shots of jaeger." Mike, the bartender, lined up four shot glasses in front of him assuming they were for Stu and his three friends over at the table.

Melissa looked over at him, but Stu wasn't making eye contact and just stared straight ahead. His lack of emotion was making her nervous. She looked away and took a huge swig of her draught beer. If he was going to ignore her all night, she needed to get good and drunk.

Stu placed a shot in front of her. "Drink," he demanded.

Melissa slowly looked up at the Englishman. "What?" she asked softly.

"Drink," he again demanded. Stu threw his head back and drank his shot. Melissa picked up the shot glass and smelled it. "Drink it. Now."

Melissa took the shot and made a face of disgust. "That was disgusting." She quickly took a sip of her beer.

"I didn't ask you how it was." He placed another shot in front of her. The four friends sat across the bar watching this awkward interaction unfold. "Drink."

"Stu, I..." Melissa started.

"Drink the fucking shot, Mel. For Chris sakes!" Stu drank the last one. Melissa reluctantly threw the shot back and immediately chased it with her beer. Stu pulled out his wallet and his credit card to Mike. "Four more, please. Keep it open."

Stu had spent the previous evening at Hyde Park House, replaying the night he fell for Melissa over a few beers with Mike. Stu disclosed Melissa's previous relationship to him and even spoke of his issues with Karen. In all fairness, Mike should have stopped Stu from what he was doing, but he was eager to see where he was going with this plan. As long as Stu and Melissa appeared sober, he would continue pouring shots for them, much to Melissa's chagrin.

"What are you doing?" Melissa asked. Her head was already swimming.

"Fixing this," he stated. The bartender again lined up four shot glasses and poured the liquor in to each. "You'll drink when I tell you to."

Melissa nodded. "I already don't feel so well," she stated. Stu looked over at her. Her eyes were droopy and her cheeks were flushed. "Can we talk, please?"

"We are going to talk, love. Drink." He placed another shot in front of her. Melissa smiled a little when he called her "love." The alcohol was going to help them after all. Melissa held up her glass and they clinked their shots together. "I believe you," he began. Melissa turned to face him on the bar stool. "I've had some time to think about it. I get why you didn't tell me. I just wish you had told me without being prompted."

"I know. I'm..." Melissa started.

Stu took another shot and placed one in front of her. "Drink," he demanded. "If this is going to work, you need to be up front with me from now on. I promise to do the same. And as for Tim...I am going to continue mentoring him for NXT because I am contractually obligated. You will continue to dress him because you are contractually obligated, but that's it. Do I make myself clear?"

Melissa nodded. She understood most of what he just said. "You want me to stay away from Tim," she repeated through slurred words.

"Do you think you can do that?" he asked with a hint of gruffness in his voice. Stu was well on his way to being as shitfaced as Melissa.

"It's what I wanted this whole time!" she yelled. She reached out and placed her hand on his stomach. "I really missed you."

Stu squeezed her hand. "You should have Catie take you home now."

Melissa grabbed his shirt. "I want to go home with you," she cried.

"We're not there yet," he leaned in and kissed her on the lips softly. "but we will be soon. I'll grab Catie." Stu started towards the table. "You should get her home and into bed now." He took a sip of his beer. Catie rushed over to Melissa, who was barely able to keep her head up.

Everyone at the table was stunned. "Do you want to tell us what the hell that was, man?" Ryan requested.

"Nope. I do not." Stu stated. He had no interest in talking about this any further.

Catie was having a tough time getting Melissa off of the chair herself. "Matt! Can you help me, please?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Thanks, man. Now I have to deal with this." He pulled out his wallet to settle his portion of the tab.

"I'll take care of you," Stu stated. "Thanks for bringing her home. I plan on checking in on her later." They all stared at him with stunned faces. "What? I'm not totally heartless."

* * *

><p>Catie and Matt collectively brought Melissa in to her apartment. "I feel bad leaving her here alone." Melissa was borderline unresponsive. She walked in and flopped down on her couch, curling up in a ball. "Make sure she's on her stomach," Catie said to Matt as she walked towards the kitchen. "Melissa, sweetie, I'm going to leave you a glass of water, okay?"<p>

"Bring her a bowl or a bag too," Matt stated.

Catie started rummaging through the cabinets looking for something that could hold a large amount of a vomit. "Melissa, where do you keep your bowls?"

"Oh shit, she's up!" Matt yelled. Melissa charged in to her bathroom and vomited up copious amounts of alcohol in her toilet. Catie had run in behind her and was holding her hair back. Matt was grossed out and backed up in to the hallway. "I'm going to call Stu."

"Is she safe and sound?" Stu asked upon answering the phone.

"Dude, I've never seen anyone vomit this much. You need to get over here now." Matt was pissed Stu had left him and Catie with her.

Stu sighed. "I'm on my way." He hung up and looked to Ryan. "Can you give me a ride to Mel's?"

Even though Melissa lived three minutes away, Stu arrived twenty minutes later. Ryan had a weak stomach and wanted nothing to do with seeing a girl toss. Thankfully, Melissa had thrown up all of her alcohol and was recovering on the couch with a glass of water.

"I think the worst is over," Catie said laughing.

"It was so gross. Like...ugh..the smell," Matt was not as amused.

"Thanks for doing this," Stu was now laughing.

"Are you going to get her wasted every time she does something wrong?" Matt asked.

Stu shrugged. "Maybe. It's fun."

"You suck. Seriously," Matt charged out the door past Stu.

"She's fine. A little mad at you, but it's all out of her system," Catie stated. "Bye, Mel. I'll see you tomorrow for kick boxing. Bright and early!"

Melissa groaned. "Don't you dare wake me up for that."

Catie shut the door behind her upon exiting. Stu stood in the entry way looking at her on the couch. Melissa stared at him waiting for him to say something. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun on top of her head. She was wearing black sweatpants and a gray tank top.

"Have you been crying?" Stu asked as he walked toward the couch.

"Most of the night, yeah. You ruined my ladies night, you know." Melissa was trying to joke around to prevent the tears that were starting to form again in her eyes.

Stu sat down on the couch and leaned in to kiss her, but stopped.

"I brushed my teeth like seven times," she said defensively.

Stu laughed out loud. "You're a mess. And still really, really pretty," he said while brushing her bangs out of her face.

"You don't hate me anymore, then?" she asked.

Stu spoke softly. "I never hated you. I just needed space to...process all this."

"I'm going to feel awful about this for a long, long time. You have no idea how bad I felt this whole..."

"Shhh..." Stu went to place his finger in front of her lips, but instead tapped her nose. After Melissa had left with Catie and Matt, the boys had done a few more shots, which were now just beginning to hit Stu. He knew if he was going to go back to her apartment and discuss things, he needed some insurance. He was also worried about sleeping with her for the first time since their spat and needed insurance for that well.

Melissa laughed. She still had some spirits in herself as well. "You're wasted," she accused. "Good! Now I'm not the only one who is going to feel like absolute shit in the morning."

"I hadn't thought about that," Stu laughed. He grabbed Melissa's right breast with his hand and leaned down towards her chest, biting her left nipple through her shirt.

"Is this a good idea?" Melissa's voice was breathy. "I mean...I thought you weren't ready..."

Stu pulled away and sat still for a second, obviously contemplating his actions. Melissa could almost feel how hurt he was based on the way he was presenting. She got off the couch and knelt down on her floor, separating Stu's legs with her hands.

"Unless this is what you want," She spoke softly while her hands reached for his belt. He watched as she slowly pulled the leather of his belt through the metal clasp. "You don't have to say anything." She bit her lower lip as she freed his cock from the prison of his boxer briefs. "Just relax, babe." Stu rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. Drunk sex was the last thing they needed to get back to a normal place with each other.

Stu reached down and grabbed the back of Melissa's head. "On with it," he requested. Stu was prepared for another night of rough sex and Melissa was game to play along. Although Melissa would never admit it to him, she longed for the days before their love making had taken on this roughness. She slid her mouth down his length while stretching her arms out to grab his hips. He pushed her all the way down, groaning when he was deep in the back of her throat. She let him linger there for a bit while her tongue massaged the vein running along the bottom. Stu undid the clip in her hair and tangled his fingers through the soft ringlets that were falling around her shoulders. He started to feel some resistance from his lover as he continued pushing himself as deep as he could. Frustrated, he ceases pushing down, grabs her hair by the nape of the neck and pulls her off his cock. Stu pulls her face up close to his; he calmly and hypnotically asks, "Hey, are you gonna be a good girl or not?"

Melissa licked her lips and nodded. That sent Stu over the edge. "Never mind. I'd rather fuck you," he stated, his eyes clouded with lust. Stu got up off the couch, almost knocking Melissa on the floor in the process. He pulled her up towards him and led her in to her bedroom. They stood by her bed as he aggressively lifted her shirt up over her head. He reached down in her sweatpants and forcefully hooked a finger in to her depths. Melissa yelped at the quick sensation he was sending through her body.

"I love how wet you get for me," he whispered against her lips. His finger twirled inside of her as he bent down to kiss her mouth hard. She slid her sweatpants off and stepped out of them back towards the bed. Never breaking their kiss, Stu and Melissa collapsed on the bed together, entangled in each others grasps. Stu slowly removed his finger and tugged his shirt up over his head. Forgetting to remove his pants and eager to be inside Melissa, he pulled his manhood out and thrust himself inside deeply inside of her. He immediately started pounding in to her fast. He fucked her hard to make her forget about Tim. With each thrust, Stu was claiming her as his. The head board banged against the wall as Melissa cried out in both pleasure and pain. His thrusts were so strong that he was pushing her up the bed, her head now slamming in to the head board. Stu buried his face in the crook of her neck, stifling his moans by biting in to her shoulder.

"Babe, you're hurting me," Melissa screamed. Stu leaned back on his knees and grabbed her waist pulling her towards him. He threw her legs up on his shoulders and he guided himself back down in to her.

"Better?" he asked, smiling down at her. Melissa nodded. Stu enjoyed this position because he could see more of her. Melissa threw her hands above her, palms up, to prevent her head from being battered back in to the head board. "I'm not going to hurt you again," he said with a sweetness to his voice.

"Me neither," she meant emotionally, but it was fitting in the moment.

Stu pulled out and wiped the sweat from his brow before laying down next to her. Melissa climbed on top of Stu and he thrust himself up inside of her before she had the chance to guide herself down. Stu loved everything about watching her ride him; the way her breasts bounced, the look of concentration on her face, how she would occasionally throw her head back and smile. The presence of alcohol increased her confidence in her love making. She kept up with the pace he had originally established and bounced up and down his hard length. His hands made their way around to the back of her, squeezing her cheeks in his hands. Each bounce was pushing their moans out to meet each other. With out warning, Stu felt Melissa spasm around him. Knowing she was close, Stu reached up and squeezed both breasts in his hands as she came around him, loudly screaming his name. Watching her come and hearing her moan, he spilled himself in to her. Melissa sat on top of him, her heart racing, her breathing hard.

"You're fucking incredible," she said. Her lips curled up in to a smile, her body glistening with sweat.

Stu flipped her on her back and pinned her arms above her head. "Don't ever forget that," he said smiling down at her. "You're going to be sore tomorrow." He lay down beside her, wrapping an arm around her. Melissa and Stu fell asleep in each other's warm embrace knowing that they made it through their first problem as a couple. Melissa had been convinced she was going to lose Stu, but this night proved that they were stronger than ever.

* * *

><p>More smut! Hey, it's how they chose to work it out :) This story is going to go on for a little while longer because I have some good ideas, but it might be a little while before I update again. Eleven chapters in like two weeks is a lot! Thanks for all the great feedback. I really appreciate it!<p> 


	12. Why aren't you mad?

Stu eyes fluttered open at 6am on the dot. He never slept well during the night as it was, but the alcohol had increased his inability to gain some shut eye. Melissa lay next to him, the sheet wrapped tightly around her chest. Watching her sleep, Stu began to feel guilty about the way he had treated her the night before. Knowing her limitations, he never should have forced that much alcohol on her. He also never should have relied on someone else to bring her home, but in that moment, he was still infuriated with her. Once he arrived at her apartment and saw her sitting on the couch, her face red and tear stained, he knew he was not helping their situation. And the sex, while mind-blowing, was another thing he felt bad about. When it came down to it though, it bothered him that she actually went through all of those things for him because of how guilty she felt. As he contemplated the situation longer, did she really do it because deep down she loved him and would do anything he asked of her to prove that to him? That is what he was hoping for.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her ear. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. The tightness of his grasp awoke her from her slumber.

"Sorry for what?" she mumbled.

"Last night," he said. "I never should have made you do any of that."

Melissa groaned and rolled over to face him. Stu looked disappointed in himself and was fiddling with the edge of the sheets. "Sometimes people can do strange things to people they care about."

He didn't look up to meet her gaze. "You're not mad at me, then?"

"No." Melissa was trying not to think about. She was slightly humiliated last night, but part of her felt as though she deserved it for what she had done to Stu. "We have so much to be excited about, babe. We're going to EUROPE in a few DAYS! Can you believe it?" Melissa was over the moon to be going abroad with her lover. Personally, it would be their first time traveling together. Professionally, this was the push she needed to work her way up to designing for the WWE roster. She was also elated to see her boyfriend in his element and then fall asleep in his arms night after night.

"I must warn you, love, women go crazy for me," he winked. "I'm quite sexy, you know. Be prepared for a little Wade-a-mania"

"Is that like Beatlemania? That's so dumb!" she leaned in and kissed him softly. Stu responded with a more passionate kiss of his own that made her knees go weak. Stu reached down between Melissa's legs, but she flinched at his touch.

"Well, I guess I kept my promise then," he said while a satisfied smirk rolled across his face. He rolled over and placed his hands behind his head. "I'm sorry you're so sore today."

Melissa scaled Stu's stomach and started applying gentle kisses all over his torso. "No, you're not. You'd do it again in a heart beat if you could," she continued her slow assault across his chest for a moment before Stu grabbed her hands and flipped her back on the bed.

He stared deep in to her eyes. "I can and will, but I am still too tired from last night. You wore me out"

Melissa laughed. "I slayed the beast!"

"Indeed you did," Stu chuckled in response. He rolled out of bed and began getting dressed. "Alright, love. I promised Joe we'd go fishing together today, but will I see you later tonight?"

"Of course. Call me later," Melissa settled back in to bed.

"Perfect. Get some more sleep, love." Stu planted a kiss on Melissa's forehead before leaving for the morning.

* * *

><p>Monday snuck up quickly on Melissa. Since Stu left early Sunday morning, she had the entire day to herself. After kick boxing and shopping for luggage with Catie, she spent the evening at home cleaning her apartment, packing for Europe, and leisure reading.<p>

Aside from the Divas, FCW was relatively quiet early on in the week. With half of the roster traveling for NXT and the other half resting from working weekend house shows, Melissa was left alone to complete her work. Being a morning person, she decided to go in early in hopes of being able to leave around 2pm. She walked in to her office to find two pairs of shorts on her desk with a note. _Mel, Sorry, I played a little rough this weekend. -T._Melissa chuckled at the note. At least she had something to work on today.

"Good morning!" Ryan yelled from her doorway.

Melissa was startled. "Why do you keep scaring me? I didn't even know anyone else was here."

Ryan was covered in sweat. "I ran here today from home."

"Of course you did. You're insane. How's the ankle feeling?"

Ryan moved his ankle in a circular motion. "Never better. More importantly, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Fine," she rattled off, but after seeing the look on Ryan's face, she knew that wasn't what he was after. "Oh, are you talking about what happened on Friday? Aside from being embarrassed, I'm fine, Ryan. Thanks."

Ryan sat down in the chair in her office. "It wasn't right, Mel"

Melissa rolled her eyes. She was sick to death of talking about this. "I know. I should've told him..."

Ryan's tone turned serious. "No, what _he_did wasn't right. You didn't deserve that."

Melissa smiled. "Thanks, Ryan, but I fucked up and it's worked out now." She didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"At your expense."

Melissa was quick to dismiss it. "Right. It's ok." She was getting frustrated. "Everything is fine now."

"Mel, look, Stu and I talked for a while after you left. I know he felt bad about what happened, but I can guarantee you that he's not over it yet. So, just be careful, ok?"

Melissa swallowed hard. "Yeah...Hey, are you here for a while today?"

"Nope. I'm actually leaving this afternoon for Denver. I'll be working the dark match for Smackdown tomorrow."

"Congratulations! Its the start of your big return!" Melissa was thrilled for her friend.

"Yup! It's also your big beginning. I heard you're coming to Europe with us. I'll see you Wednesday in Manchester."

Melissa's anxiety built up remembering that her big WWE debut was a few days away. "Can't wait!"

* * *

><p>Stu pushed the door to the locker room open and laid eyes on Ryan Reeves. "Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. You're very good at keeping secrets."<p>

Ryan laughed. "I knew you'd be stoked to see me, man. I got the call Sunday night actually. I'll be working a dark match against TJ."

"Welcome back. It's good to see you." Heath added.

Tim pushed the door to the locker room open. "Hey guys!" Tim was overly enthusiastic about this weeks NXT. After placing first last week, he was determined to keep his top spot.

All three men starred at Tim waiting for Stu to say something, but he just stared at him blankly for what felt like an eternity. Stu smirked. "Hey Tim. Ready for battle this evening?" The other men all appeared to breathe a sigh of relief at the exact same moment. "Don't be nervous. You did great last week. All that matters is that you beat Miller's rookie, which will be easy."

"Come on, man," Heath was growing tired of his constant teasing.

"I can see not too much has changed." Ryan said.

"Not really. Heath is trying to mentor a new guy and failing miserably. That's really all that's new," Stu said laughing.

"He came in second last week!" Heath yelled defensively. He clenched his fists in his hands. Heath always overreacted to Stu's constant teasing.

Stu was searching through his bag looking for his knee pads. "Which you had nothing to do with," Stu loved getting a rise out of Heath.

"You two are like an old married couple," Tim said. Ryan high fived Tim.

Stu glared at Tim. "Now you've gone and done it," Ryan said. "You've made him angry. You won't like it when he's angry."

The tension in the room was eased with a hearty laugh by all four men. Stu headed towards the door, car keys in hand.

"Did we hurt your feelings?" Tim asked.

"I left my knee pads in the car, you gimp." Stu was genuinely aggravated. What had started as friendly banter between the four friends quickly turned sour.

"What's his problem?" Tim asked, genuinely confused by the attitude from his pro. Heath and Ryan looked at each other. Neither wanted to respond. "Okay, I know something is up now."

"Umm..." Heath started. Ryan's eyes widened as he shot him a look that would hopefully alert him to keep his mouth shut. "Mel told Stu about...you guys..."

Tim tried to lighten the mood. "And he hasn't beat the shit out of me yet? That's a good sign."

Heath nodded. "It is actually. Just don't say anything to him."

"What did she tell him?"

Ryan was still refusing to get involved. Heath's words were caught in his throat. "Oh, just that you guys were involved." Heath was offering up vague information.

"Oh good," Tim said relieved.

Ryan and Heath looked at each other wondering if they should even address the statement. "Why 'good?'" Heath asked.

"She didn't tell him everything."

* * *

><p><em>Melissa's arms were folded in front of her, she was staring off to the side. "You don't have to do this."<em>

_"It's the right thing to do," Tim was on one knee, standing in front of Melissa, an open jewelry box facing her. _

_"I...can't..." she swallowed hard. _

_"I told Rachel that it's over," he said. _

_"I know you didn't. You were with her last night. You're waiting to hear what I have to say," she said as a tear started to make it's way down her cheek. _

_Tim was getting frustrated. "Look, I'm trying to do the honorable thing here."_

_"Well, don't bother. It wasn't mine. And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't snoop around in my things"_

_Tim stood up and faced her. "What?"_

_"It wasn't my pregnancy test, Tim. It was my roommates," she turned away and began to storm off. _

_Tim reached forward and grabbed her arm pulling her back "Mel, marry me anyway."_

_Melissa ripped her arm from his grasp. "'Marry me anyway?' Are you serious? You're unbelievable. Please, Tim." She put her hands up in protest. "Please just leave me alone." _

* * *

><p>Heath and Hector rode with Ryan back to the hotel so that Stu could get some private time in with Tim. Stu sat behind the wheel while Tim made the radio selection.<p>

"She told me," Stu blurted out between songs.

Tim took a deep breath. "That we dated?" Tim asked.

Stu cut right to the chase. "Did you know she was down here when you took the job?" Tim sat in silence. "Did you?"

"Yes," he said quietly. "It's not why I came down here though. It's the only WWE developmental territory."

"I'm aware of that," Stu never once looked in Tim's direction, but kept his eyes focused on the road. "Listen, Tim," he began. "You are to stay away from her, okay? She has been instructed to do the same. You can conduct business, but that's it. I don't want you to be a part of our relationship."

"Is that how she feels?" Tim asked, his tone somber.

"Yes," Stu started to feel empathy towards Tim.

"I asked her to marry me," Tim blurted out. There was no malice behind his statement. He knew his chances of getting Melissa back were slim. And in the moment, Stu seemed reasonable enough to handle this new information. "I thought she was pregnant. She's wasn't. Her roommate was. It was stupid."

Stu didn't appear shocked. "She said 'no,' right?"

"Of course she did. Did she tell you that?" Stu shook his head. "She thought it was some big joke. I think she tried to block it out. Said that I ruined the idea of getting engaged. And she was right. She didn't trust me. Didn't want anything to do with me. I put her through so much. It's amazing to me that she even acknowledges me now," Tim rubbed his jaw with his hand. "I'm sorry, man, because any issues or hangs up she has are purely my fault. She's a great person. She didn't deserve all the shit I put her through," Tim bit his lower lip as he reflected on his previous actions. "She's crazy about you, though."

Stu smiled. "Oh yeah?"

"She thought for sure you were going to break up with her if you found out about us. Mel's so inexperienced when it comes to relationships. That's probably why she still talks to me. Thinks she owes me something or that she did something wrong. She doesn't understand what people should and shouldn't be upset about. She's always quick to apologize." Tim stared at Stu for a moment. He appeared to be deep in thought, but did not appear to be angry. "Why aren't you mad?"

As he pulled in to the hotel parking lot, Stu realized that is why she did four shots for him a few days prior. "Because I was engaged once." Stu was feeling a connection to Tim. "My last girlfriend. She called off the engagement because she couldn't handle me being on the road. Melissa's the first girl I've dated seriously in over a year. Karen and I were together for three years."

"Holy shit, dude. Did you tell Mel?" Tim exited out of the car.

Stu shook his head. "No. She doesn't need to know that. What good what it do? There were no stipulations. We just loved each other."

Tim was frustrated with the Englishman's arrogance. "Well, what good did it do to find out her and I were a thing?"

Stu laughed. "You're still a threat." Stu pulled his suitcase out of the trunk and set it down on the ground.

Tim grabbed his luggage and shut the trunk. "I promise you I'm not." Tim was serious.

"Very well. Good work tonight. I mean it" Stu patted Tim on the back as they entered in to the threshold of the hotel.

* * *

><p><strong>I know I said it would be a while until my next update, but I was struggling with which way to take this. I'm having fun making it incredibly melodramatic and soap opera-y! Thanks for all the feedback. I know a lot of people are reading this story and I would love to know your thoughts. What you think is working and what isn't. Remember, its my first story so I have a lot to learn! I appreciate all the feedback I've received so far. It's really helpful! I have big plans for this. Sit tight, lovely readers :) <strong>


	13. Manchester

The flight to England had been relatively uneventful for all involved. Since she was incredibly nervous, Melissa took a xanax pre-flight which helped her sleep through most of it. She had met the majority of the talent at the airport and they had welcomed her with open arms. Stu introduced her to each person as "Melissa, my girlfriend and FCW costume designer." It was the first time Melissa had heard him use those words and each time she heard them her smile grew bigger.

From the airport, the roster and staff traveled by bus to the hotel in Manchester. Tons of groupies were gathered in the lobby and outside of the hotel waiting to greet their favorite WWE superstars. Thankfully, someone from WWE corporate had gone ahead and picked up everyone's room keys so they could get through the crowd with little to no fuss.

As they were disembarking the bus, Melissa became overwhelmed with the amount of signs lining the entrance to the hotel. Most were for John Cena, Randy Orton, and John Morrison, but a few were for Stu.

"I'll go grab the room key. You can feel free to mingle for a bit," Melissa grabbed his luggage and slung a bag on to her shoulder. "I'll come back down and get you in a few."

"Thanks, love, but I'd rather just head in and get settled," Stu looked exhausted. The flight had lasted only 5 hours, but it was the next morning already. Luckily, the first show wasn't until the following night. Stu grabbed the key from Pat Patterson and they rode the elevator up to their room on the sixth floor. Stu slid the key card in the door and pushed it open at the sight of the green light. "We will be calling this home for these next two nights."

Melissa jumped up and down with excitement. "How cool is this!" she yelled running in to the bathroom.

"It's just a room." Stu couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. This was his third European tour and the novelty of staying in hotel rooms night after night had warn off. At least this time, he wouldn't be away from his girlfriend. Stu plopped himself down on the bed and turned the television on to cycle through the familiar television stations.

After inspecting the hotel room for bed bugs, Melissa climbed in next to him. "Do you miss home?" she asked with a tone of concern to her voice.

He leaned on his side, resting his head on his arched arm. "Of course. Don't you?"

"Touche," she smiled. "Still, it must be nice for you to make it back. I'm surprised you weren't more excited about it."

"Honestly, sweetheart, I feel like I'm going through the motions every day. I travel so much that I love having this down time." He rolled over and began tickling her sides. Melissa flailed around the bed trying to break free, but he seized the opportunity and pinned her hands to the bed. "I do love that I am here with you though." He leaned down and kissed her gently. There was sudden knock at the door. Stu pressed his forehead to Melissa's. "Damn it."

"Stu, Mel, are you in there? It's Heath."

"Go away," Stu called back. He began tickling Melissa again, much to her dismay.

"And Ryan!" another voice called out.

Stu got up and opened the door. "Oh, well in that case. What can I do for you two?"

"We're about to go out and grab some grub," Heath stated.

"Do you and Mel want to come with us?" Ryan asked.

Stu looked over at Melissa. "Sure!" she yelled excitedly from the bed. "I'm up for anything!"

"Darling, I assure you. This is going to get old real fast," Stu said laughing. He turned his attention to Heath and Ryan. "She's over the moon about this trip."

Melisa had grabbed her purse and met them at the door. "I just think this is all so wonderful. I'm also totally hopped up on caffeine to stay awake to adjust to the time change. Wait! I need to grab my camera."

"This'll be fun," Heath said rolling his eyes.

* * *

><p>Tim sat in his hotel room watching a British Premiere league game on the television. Before Melissa was scheduled to be a part of this trip, Tim and Stu had agreed to room together. Now, Tim was stuck sharing a room with Hector. Tim was finding it more and more difficult to make conversation with the Arizona native.<p>

"So, do you follow soccer at all?" This was about the thirtieth question Tim had asked Hector in the last fifteen minutes, but Hector still showed no signs of socialization and just shook his head. Tim turned the tv off and rolled off the bed. "I think I'm going to go out and get something to eat."

Not wanting to walk too far from the hotel, Tim wandered in to the pub next door. Aside from a few day drinkers at the bar, the only other people were Heath, Ryan, Stu and Melissa, who were seated in the back corner. Melissa looked up and saw Tim enter, but quickly lowered her head in an attempt to obey Stu's orders. Melissa was surprised when Stu waved him over to the table.

"Tim! Why don't you join us over here?" Stu instructed.

Melissa crinkled her brow and leaned in to Stu. "I thought that I wasn't..."

Stu put his hand up to silence her. "Don't worry about it. It's okay." His tone was harsh and surprising. Melissa wondered what made him change his mind.

Melissa tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and took a sip of her beer. Ryan stared at her from across the table. He could feel how uncomfortable she was. He was starting to get royally pissed off at the way Stu was treating her in public. He wasn't overly mean, just dismissive and unwelcoming. Melissa rested her face in her propped up hand and looked away from the table. She quickly made eyes with Ryan who was trying to get her attention.

"Are you okay?" Ryan mouthed at her from across the table.

Melissa nodded as Stu put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Where's Hector?" Stu asked.

Tim motioned back towards the hotel. "Back in the room. I had to get away from him. I think I'm going to go crazy. That dude just ignores me whenever I say anything"

Stu nodded as he took a sip of his drink. "He must have learned that from Heath. He seems to miss what I say the majority of the time. "

Melissa smiled gently while everyone else laughed at Stu's comment. She refused to make eye contact with Tim because she didn't want to instill any uneasiness in him.

"Anyone want another drink?" Ryan asked. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Mel? Can you help me at the bar?" Melissa nodded meekly and slipped out of Stu's grasp. "You have got to lighten up," Ryan requested. "You can cut the tension with a knife."

"I'm not really sure what to do. Stu said I can't talk to him or even acknowledge Tim and then he invites him over to the table. He also said he wasn't going to talk to Tim outside of NXT. Did something happen? I'm just really confused, I guess," Melissa was rambling due to her uneasiness. She was grasping for anything that would explain this new attitude towards Tim. "I just don't know what to do."

"I think you can do whatever the hell you want," Ryan instructed.

Melissa shook her head and grabbed two beers off of the counter. "It's not that easy." She bit her top lip and thought for a moment. "I think I'm going to go back to the hotel and take a nap."

"You really shouldn't sleep now. It'll throw your whole sleep pattern off." Ryan grabbed his beers and started back to the table with Melissa. Ryan wanted her to stay and hang out with him. Besides, she was something to look at. Due to the lack of humidity in England, her hair was straight and soft. She was wearing a purple sweater dress and black leggings with tall black boots. Ryan usually didn't find girls like Melissa attractive, but it was something about her in that moment that made him question the motivation behind his involvement in her life.

Tim and Stu were in a full fledged conversation about soccer when they returned to the table. Melissa had to yell to get his attention. "Stu? Stu? Stu!"

He turned to meet her, still laughing about Tim's analysis of Liverpool. "What is it, love?"

She grabbed her purse off of the bench and pulled out the spare room key. "I think I am going to head back to the hotel and take a nap. I'm exhausted."

"Alright. I'll see you later then." Stu rehashed his conversation with Tim. No kiss goodbye. No "Please stay with us." Nothing. Ryan saw the look of hurt on her face as she swallowed hard and started towards the door.

Tim stood and addressed the table. "Who is up for a game of pool?"

Heath excitedly raised his hand and ran over to meet Tim at the pool table. "I'll play!"

"I'll play winner. Which in this case will be Tim." Stu added.

Ryan thought for a moment before speaking. "What the hell is your problem, man?"

Stu was genuinely surprised at the accusation. "What are you talking about?"

"Melissa," Ryan replied. "I thought you had moved past all that."

Stu clenched his jaw. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"You're embarrassing her. She left because of you, not because she's tired. Why are you being so buddy buddy with Tim after telling her that she can't even look at him?"

"It's different. I didn't have a previous relationship with him. She did. Why are you siding with her anyway?"

Ryan leaned back in his seat. "Did you tell her about Karen?"

Stu shook his head and dismissed the question. "That's not import-"

Ryan spoke slowly for emphasis. "Did you tell her you were engaged to Karen?"

"No. I didn't," Stu was becoming more agitated. "Now, why do you care so much, Reeves?"

"She's my friend," Ryan shrugged. "And she's a great girl. You should be protecting her and caring for her, not making up stupid rules and embarrassing her in front of friends and co-workers."

Stu leaned in so the others couldn't hear their conversation. "Please don't tell me how to conduct my relationship. I'm perfectly capable of running this thing."

"That's..." Ryan began.

"Stay out of it!" Stu interrupted. "I haven't gotten on your case with all those floozies you go about town with because it's none of my business."

Ryan ran his tongue over his teeth. "You're right." He threw his hands up. "It's none of my business."

* * *

><p>The hotel rooms in Europe were a bit on the small side, but that did not stop Melissa from taking a bath in the tiny bathroom when she made her way back to the hotel. It was how she de-stressed. Stu's actions at the bar had been out of character for him. When it was just the two of them, he was caring and fun. Whenever Tim or anyone else was added to the mix, he treated her as though she belonged to him at times and other times just outright ignored her presence entirely. She felt alone in this foreign country. There was no one on the roster that she knew well enough to go strike up a conversation with and she was a little afraid to venture out on her own at night. She settled in to bed and turned the television on, but all she could find were reruns of "Two and a Half Men."<p>

As soon as she turned the light off to fall asleep, the hotel door swung open. Stu was hammered and making his way over to the bed. Ryan and Heath had escorted him home from the pub and helped him make his way back to the room. Stu sauntered in and crashed down on the bed face first.

Ryan was the first to address the situation. "I'm sorry, Mel. His drunkenness just kinda crept up on us."

Melissa sighed heavily. "Thanks for bringing him back. I got it from here." She walked over to Stu and began removing his shoes. "Did Tim make it home ok?"

Heath and Ryan looked at each other. "Uh, yeah," Heath replied. "He just didn't want to...you know..."

Melissa licked her lips and nodded. "What? Come up and see me? I know. Thanks again. I'll see you in the morning." Melissa walked over to Stu and rubbed his back. "You feeling okay?" There was no response. He was sound asleep. "Well, this is a first," she said out loud to herself. She undressed him so that all that remained was his boxers. Melissa was now too pissed off to attempt sleep.

Moments later Stu awoke needing to use the bathroom. "Hello, love," he said, a smile creeping across his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," Melissa grumbled through pursed lips. "Did you have fun tonight?"

He wrapped his arm around her stomach and used her to pull himself over towards her. "I'd say so." The smile was still plastered across his face. He began to kiss her shoulder around the straps of her tank top, but she shrugged him away.

"I'm not really in the mood for this," she said.

Stu laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm tired," she thought for a moment before speaking again. "And I'm a little pissed off at you, too"

Stu rolled over on his back and rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Oh come on, Mel. Not now."

"Goodnight, Stu" she said and rolled over on her side turning her back towards the Englishman.

"Maybe you should've just gone ahead and married Tim," his voice was barely audible, but he had intended for her to hear him.

Melissa shot up and looked over at him. "What the fuck?"

"You should've just married Tim. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

Melissa got out of bed and stared down at him. She didn't even want to share the same space as him. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"He asked you to marry him. Thought he knocked you up," Stu was replaying the situation for her as he saw it.

"And I said 'No'," she yelled. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why can't you just move past this?"

"I've seen the way you still look at him," Stu accused.

"You won't LET me look at him, Stu!" Tears started to form in Melissa's eyes. "Look, I'm doing exactly what you've asked me too. I ignore him. I don't talk to him." She threw her phone at him. "Go through it. No sign of him in my phone. Please, let this go! I can't deal with this much longer." Melissa was crying hysterically. He had pushed her to the edge. Even though he was drunk, the accusations were the icing on the cake.

"Then don't," Stu slurred at her.

"What?" Melissa chocked back a lump in her throat.

He looked her dead in the eyes as a smirk stretched across his face. "Don't fucking deal with it then, Mel."

She shook her head. "You don't mean that,"

Stu sat up in the bed. "Try me," Stu threatened.

Melissa's eyes ran across the room in a panic. "I think maybe I should go stay somewhere else tonight," she said while throwing her hooded sweatshirt on over her tank top.

Stu smirked. "Like with Tim?"

"Fuck you." Melissa grabbed her purse and the room key before heading out the door and slamming it shut. Once outside she slid down the wall and began crying hysterically, biting the sleeve of her sweatshirt to muffle her cries. She composed herself and started down the hallway towards the elevator when she heard a familiar voice coming from the room down the hall. Melissa hesitated for a moment before knocking.

The door flung open in a hurry. Ryan was standing there with a toothbrush in his mouth. "Mel? What the hell happened?"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks again to everyone that has reviewed this. I'd like to know if you're still enjoying the story, so any feedback is greatly appreciated. I really do want to know your thoughts. <strong>


	14. Have You Ever Been in Love?

Melissa spoke quickly between sobs. "Can I come in, please?"

The look on Ryan's face was one of concern. "Of course, Mel. What happened?" Melissa looked around the room to see if he had any company. "Heath went out with Barbie and PJ. He won't be back for a while. Now, tell me what happened?"

She started to calm down as she ran through the argument she had just had with Stu in her mind. "I'm probably just overreacting. He's drunk. This whole thing will blow over by morning."

Ryan was sick of her making excuses for Stu's behavior. Melissa was a beautiful girl who deserved to have some semblance of self esteem. Whatever she did have, Stu appeared to be taking away. Ryan sat down on the edge of the bed next to his friend and handed her a tissue from the bathroom. "Out with it."

Melissa wiped the tears from her eyes. She didn't want to relay to Ryan what had started the argument. Those details of her relationship were off limits to everyone. "We had a bit of a disagreement and he said 'You should've married Tim like you wanted to.' It's silly. I told you I was overreacting."

Sighing, Ryan stood up and walked to the desk. "Do you want a drink?" Melissa nodded. "I just have vodka. Duty free store." He winked.

She smiled as he handed her the plastic cup full of booze. "Thank you."

"You need it. Is that all he said?"

She mumbled 'no' as she took her drink like a shot. "He still thinks that I talk to Tim and have feelings for him. I gave him my phone to go through. I told him this was all too much and I wish he would move on like I have. He told me I didn't have to deal with it and could leave. So I left."

"And you came here?" Ryan filled her cup back up with vodka.

Silent tears started to run down her face. "Don't take this the wrong way, please, but where else was I going to go? I don't know anyone. Thankfully, I heard your voice. You're so great to listen to all this bullshit. It's so juvenile."

Ryan folded his arms and leaned against the desk. He didn't want to sit too close to her. He was afraid that if Stu found out he had physically comforted her it would cause more problems. "What are you going to do?"

Melissa shrugged. "I don't know. Just wait for morning right now, I guess, and see what happens. Maybe he won't remember it." She walked over to the trash to throw her tissues away. Melissa was worried that Ryan might think she was using him as a soundboard and didn't care about him as a person. She was eager to change the subject. "Enough about this shit though. Tell me, how's your love life?"

Ryan laughed. "I think you know the answer to that one. It's just going to get more lonely now that I am out on the road again."

"Get your shit together, man. You deserve to be happy!" The vodka was starting to hit Melissa. "Have you ever been in love?"

Ryan thought for a moment before speaking. "Yes."

Melissa raised her eyebrows. "And?"

He gestured with his hands. "Aaaand...it didn't work out." Melissa's sweatshirt started to fall down her shoulder showing her thin tank top strap. Ryan's eyes darted to the soft flesh that was recently revealed. "I don't really like talking about that stuff."

"Me neither, but now I feel like it's all I talk about," Melissa admitted.

"I know Stu. He's a good guy. He will come around eventually." Melissa's eyes started to fill up with tears again. She's wasn't sad anymore, just frustrated. She had this wonderful man who couldn't understand how important he was to her. "Mel," he said softly. Ryan put his arms on her shoulders and bent down to look her in the eye. "Promise me you'll say something to him in the morning. Please? Don't just let this go. You need to tell him how much this is hurting you."

"I promise," she swallowed hard. "Thank you for listening. I think I am going to head back to the room so you can get some sleep," she said softly.

"You can stay here if you need to. I can sleep on the floor." Ryan was worried about her going back to Stu. She didn't need any more drama. "I really don't mind."

Melissa was standing in the doorway of the room. "Thanks, but I'll be fine." She walked back to Ryan and gave him a hug. "You're really wonderful, Ryan," she said thankfully. "Thanks for being such a great friend." The hug lingered a little longer than they both anticipated. Neither party seemed to want to let go. Ryan softly pressed his nose in her scalp to smell her hair. If Melissa noticed, she didn't seem to mind. "I'll see you tomorrow." Ryan had thought momentarily about making a move, but quickly snapped out of it. He knew Melissa was off limits, but he couldn't help but feel attracted to her in that moment. _I only want her because I can't have her_he thought as he watched her shut the door and walked back to one of his best friends.

She took her time walking down the hall way to the room she was sharing with Stu. Who was she going to get when she opened the door? Would drunk, angry Stu be waiting up to yell at her? Would she get remorseful Stu who understood why his comments were inappropriate? Or would she simply find a sleeping boyfriend who had no recollection of their argument?

Melissa quietly opened the door and was relieved to discover that all the lights were all off. She slowly closed the door to minimize the sound and tip toed over to the bed. She removed her shoes and her sweatshirt leaving them in a heap at her side of the bed and carefully climbed in under the sheets. She gently scooted back in the bed hoping that her back would meet her lover's side, but she didn't feel his presence. "Stu?" she whispered. She patted the bed with her right hand, but she couldn't feel him. She reached over and turned the light on to the room. He was no where to be found. Panic set in and Melissa's mind raced a million miles a minute. Her first obvious conclusion was that he had left her and wasn't coming back. She began to get sick to her stomach. As she looked around the room she noticed that his room key and wallet were left on the nightstand. He wouldn't have left without either of those items. Melissa gently tip toed in to the bathroom and turned the light on expecting him to be passed out on the floor, but the flip of the switch revealed nothing more than a few towels scattered on the floor. Melissa was startled by a knock at the door. She tip toed over to the door and looked through the peep hole. Stu was standing there. She thought for a moment before letting him in.

"Hey," he said as she opened the door. He looked remorseful. "I, uh, went out to get something to drink and forgot my wallet." She nodded and moved aside so Stu could step back in to the room they shared. He walked over to the nightstand and grabbed his wallet and started back towards the door. She just stood there watching him. He stared back at her, taking her beauty in. Even in a frumpy sweatshirt she still looked beautiful. He noticed her face was red and her cheeks were stained with tears. "Were you crying, love?" Melissa nodded as another tear rolled down her cheek. Stu walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Mel. What I said was completely out of line. I was drunk, but that's no excuse." He began running his fingers through her hair. "I care about you tremendously. I've thought about it and I realized that what I asked of you is unreasonable." He took her face in his hands and wiped the tears from under her eyes. "I do trust you."

Melissa nodded. "You need to stop being so jealous," she whispered. She didn't have the energy to start another argument, but Ryan was right, she needed to let him know how she felt. "I won't be around much longer if this continues." Stu pulled back and was rubbing the sides of her arms. He nodded silently. "I'm going to need more than that from you." Stu sighed and stared down at the ground. "I'm serious."

"I know, darling. Me too. Maybe we should just start over?" Stu asked hopefully.

Melissa shook her head. "That's silly. Let's just move forward with just each other."

Stu wrapped his arms around her and slowly slid his hands down the back of her sweatpants. He gripped the soft flesh of her behind tightly in his hands. "Let me take care of you," he whispered in to her ear as he continued to massage her rear in his large hands.

It took Melissa a moment to respond. Perhaps a release was what she needed at this moment in time. She was frustrated over the way this trip had started and she was anxious about her first day tomorrow. She tilted her head towards him and his lips came crashing down on hers. Stu was far more eager for a physical encounter than she was. He lifted her up and pressed her back against the wall as she wrapped her legs around him. He bit in to her neck as he unzipped her sweatshirt and dropped it to the ground. He grew erect at the sight of her hard, light brown nipples peeking through the sheer fabric of her top. He lifted the tank top over her head and took one nipple in his mouth, biting it at first contact. Melissa moaned loudly and threw her head back, which made a thud as it hit the wall. Stu rubbed his thumb across her lips and gently pushed it past her lips into her mouth. "Careful. Don't make too much noise now," he teased. He carried her over and dropped her on the bed. Stu removed his shirt with a quick tug and then proceeded to pull her sweatpants cleanly off of her body. He nudged her legs open with his knee and began rubbing his fingers over her soft folds, his fingers soaking with her juices. Melissa jumped at his touch, but closed her eyes and settled in to the bed. Her body relaxed as Stu's fingers worked in and out of her, each thrust pushing a little bit deeper in to her. Stu was determined to give her the first of a few orgasms this way. He rubbed his thumb in circles around her clit. Her back arched off the bed and her breaths turned in to soft moans.

"Don't stop," she begged the Englishman.

A slight chuckle slipped through his smirk. "I have no intentions of it." He leaned down and sucked a nippled between his teeth, nibbling on it as he continued his motions. Her back arched up to him and her legs opened wider giving him more room to work around her. Stu kissed his way up to her ear. "Are you going to come for me?" he whispered. Melissa felt her body tighten and her face heat up. She was on the verge of her release. Stu felt how tense her body had become and began darting his fingers in and out of her at a faster pace. The volume of Melissa's moans increased as her body began to tremble. She grabbed the bed sheets as Stu sat back. He wanted to watch her come. He felt Melissa's walls tighten around his fingers as her orgasm began to rip through her body. Stu stuck two fingers from her left hand in to her mouth to control her screams.

"That was amazing," she spoke between breaths. Stu slowly removed his fingers from her and smiled as he licked her off of him. Without speaking her lowered his head between her thighs. Melissa was still trembling from her last orgasm and flinched as his tongue started dancing around her soft folds. It took her a moment to adjust to the sensations that were again assaulting her body. She tasted sweet to him and he ate her as though he could not get enough. Melissa ran her fingers through his thick, black hair gently pushing his face deeper in to her. Stu gripped his hands tight around her hips and pulled her closer down on to him while he dragged his tongue from her center up to her clit. She already felt as though she was going to explode again. Stu's hands massaged her hips as his tongue settled on her clit, flicking it back and forth. He began moaning in response to her moans to show her just how much he enjoyed pressing his tongue in to her. Melissa's hands gripped tightly on to Stu's wrists as she lost herself in her second orgasm; her moans bouncing off the walls of their hotel room. Stu planted a gentle kiss on her clit, which caused Melissa to shiver and giggle, before kissing his way up to her mouth.

"How was that?" he asked, breaking the kiss.

Melissa smiled at her lover. "I needed that," she said, her breathing still heavy. "I'm really nervous about tomorrow. That was a great distraction"

"You're going to be amazing at this. You already are amazing," he said between applying kisses to her stomach. "You should get a good night sleep now."

Melissa looked at him confused. "Don't you want me to...you know?"

Stu smiled. "No, you're a very generous lover. It was time I give back."

"That's sweet..." Melissa bit her lower lip, nervous about the answer to her next question. "Was I loud?"

"I think the whole floor heard you," he laughed.

Melissa put her hand over her face in embarrassment. "Oh shit. And everyone is pretty much staying on this floor, aren't they?"

"Yup," Stu was laughing. "I'll be getting a few high fives tomorrow," he said with a wink.

"Shut up!" She teased, lightly punching him in the arm.

"Oh, so you wanna play rough, huh?" Stu jumped on top of Melissa and began tickling her sides causing her to cry out in a fit of laughter.

And just like that they were back to normal.

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully Stu has learned to leave well enough alone! Thanks for the fantastic reviews last chapter! Something else seems to be brewing now...Again, I love knowing your thoughts so all feed back is greatly appreciated! :) <strong>


	15. I'm Proud of You

At 4:30am GMT, Melissa lay awake in the bed she shared with Stu. She had tossed and turned so much during the night that he had given up on spooning her early and was now sleeping with his back to her. Her sleeplessness wasn't just due to the time change, but also the nervous energy she was harvesting about her first day officially working for WWE. Sleep would be unable to find her for the rest of the night and she decided to take a trip down to the hotel gym.

Melissa thought that she may be the only person down there at such an early hour, but she was greeted by about ten members of the WWE roster using the various pieces of equipment scattered around the gym. She filled up her water bottle and took up residence on a treadmill that was hidden in the corner. She wanted to be left alone to work out. She adjusted her ear buds and took off on a slow jog just as Tim appeared in front of her.

"Good morning," he greeted.

She removed her ear buds. "Hey. Surprised to see you're up early. I thought you were out late drinking with the guys."

Tim rolled his eyes. "I was. Your boyfriend doesn't handle his beer too well."

"I am well aware," she laughed out. "He'll be in rough shape this morning."

Tim's tone became more serious. "I wanted to apologize to you,"

Melissa crinkled her nose. "For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, things have just been a little weird between us. I know I shouldn't be talking to you right now..."

Melissa interrupted with a flail of her hand. "No, it's okay. We've worked all that out. You and I can be seen together now."

Tim looked down at the ground and nodded. "You've always been really great to me, Mel." She stared at him blankly. "I know you can't say the same about me, but I'm hoping that we can be friends."

"That's feasible," she said definitively.

Tim stared at her for a moment while contemplating his next thought. He really had nothing left to add to the conversation. "Alright. Well, have a good work out. I'll see you at the arena." Tim smiled and headed over to the other side of the gym.

Even though it seemed as though he was genuine in their conversation, Melissa was still skeptical about Tim's intentions. He never cared about anyone other than himself. His past behavior dictated what Melissa expected were his true intentions. Still, she would do her best to be his friend. She would do it for him, she would do it for Stu, and she would do it for her job.

After running on the treadmill for thirty minutes, Melissa decided to head back up to her room to shower and get ready for the day. She was flipping through the songs on her ipod when she bumped in to someone in the doorway. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Melissa stammered. She looked up to see Ryan standing there laughing at her.

"You're looking good this morning," Ryan said between laughs. Melissa had on a pair of baggy yoga pants and an over-sized, shapeless grey t-shirt. Her pants almost completely covered her sneakers. Her hair was pulled back in to a tight bun and her bangs slicked back with sweat.

She blushed at his comment. "These are my left over fat clothes. They're excellent for working out."

"You need some hot work out attire, my friend. You've got a cute body now. You should show it off more," Ryan suggested.

"Thanks, but I'm not ready for that. I still feel like a big time fat girl. I have a long way to go still," she was flustered.

Ryan spotted a bite mark on her neck. "I think I know how last night went with Stu," Ryan stated with a wink.

"What do you mean?" It took Melissa a moment to understand what he was trying to say. Her eyes grew wide and her face turned red again after realizing what he meant. "Oh shit, you could hear us?"

"I think the whole floor heard you." Melissa looked down at the ground and bit her lip. Ryan laughed, "It's okay. It was pretty hot actually." Melissa slapped him on the arm. "No, you, uh, you actually have a mark." Ryan ran his thumb over the teeth marks Stu had left on her skin the night before. Sensing that made her a little uncomfortable, he quickly changed the subject and placed his hand on his hip. "Did you guys get to talk though?"

"Yeah. Its resolved. I'm going to talk to whoever I want and he's not going to be jealous," she said. "I already spoke to Tim this morning. No more playing games with each other."

Ryan was smiling. He was finding it hard not to smile in her presence. "Good. I'm glad then."

"Thanks again for listening to me babble on and on last night." Melissa looked up at the clock above the door. "I should get going. I want to shower and get Stu up for breakfast. He's going to need something to soak up all that booze. Have a good work out."

"Thanks, Mel." She smiled at him as she walked out the door. Ryan's morning work out was off to a great start.

* * *

><p>"House shows are easy," Terri began. "All we do is sit around, wait for a stitch to pop, and eat at the catering table." Terri pointed to the tiny belly protruding over her waistline. "As you can see this is a very dangerous job," she said laughing.<p>

Melissa knew that she was going to get along well with Terri. They had similar senses of humor, although Terri was a bit more cynical. Melissa had spent much of the day listening and observing Terri's interactions with various WWE superstars. Melissa got a better understanding of each personality as she sat watching them. Some outright ignored Melissa's presence in the room while others followed up the introduction with "Oh, so you're Stu's girlfriend then!" Luckily, none had alluded to hearing Stu give her two fantastic orgasms the previous night in the hotel, but maybe that is why some were ignoring her.

"Your reputation seems to precede you around here," Terri joked. "I hate to say it, but I think you're going to need to work on proving people wrong."

"What do you mean?" Melissa asked with a breath of anxiety behind her words.

"Well, you're Wade Barrett's girlfriend," she yelled moving her hands across the air illustrating an invisible movie marquee.

"I don't think anyone really cares," Melissa said sheepishly.

"Oh, they care. Believe me. They're going to be watching you," Terri scoffed. "It's tough here. Everyone needs to prove themselves whether they're wrestling, hanging lights, setting off pyros, or sewing some stitches. Unfortunately, you're just going to have to work a little harder." Terri sensed that her words were bothering Melissa. "Look, I know you're talented. FCW knew you were talented. Fuck! Triple fucking H hand picked you to do this. Obviously you've got what it takes."

Melissa smiled. "Thanks, Terri."

There was a knock at the door. Melissa and Terri looked up to Sin Cara standing at the door holding one of his bright blue masks in his hand. Terri motioned for Melissa to assist him.

Melissa stood up and walked towards the door. "Hey there, Ignacio. What can I help you with?"

He spoke slowly, his thick Mexican accent changing the pronunciation of some words. "I need to use the iron. My mask is folded." Both ears of his mask had become bent due to being folded up in his suitcase.

Melissa took the mask from his hands. "I'll take care of it for you." She examined it in her hand. "The stitching is a little loose around the top. Do you want me to fix that for you now?" Ignacio nodded in her direction. "Come back in about ten minutes. I'll have it all ready for you."

He smiled. "Thank you, ladies," he mumbled as he exited the room.

"Good job," Terri congratulated. "You have another visitor." Stu was standing at the door in his gear. It was the first time Melissa had ever laid eyes on him as Wade Barrett. Melissa bit her bottom lip at the sight of him. Her eyes ran from his boots up his thighs to the shorts she had measured him for. She stopped briefly to admire the stitching, but became fixated on his package straining against the spandex.

"Perfect fit, huh?" Stu laughed as Melissa turned a million shades of red. He flexed in her direction. "Ladies..." This elicited a laugh from both Melissa and Terri. "I just wanted to stop by and get your approval before I went out for my match."

"I think you look sexy," Terri chimed in.

Melissa was still relatively speechless. "Um, yeah. Yes. Sexy."

Stu moved and put his arms around a relatively uncomfortable Melissa. "You know, love. You can watch my match from the monitors in the back, if you like. I'm sure Terri wouldn't mind."

"I'd love to, but should stay back here in case she needs me for something," she said.

"Like, what? A costume emergency?" he said with a chuckle.

Melissa looked serious. "Yeah. Exactly," she stated.

"Good luck with your match tonight. I'm rooting for you," she said. Melissa stepped up on her tip toes to give her boyfriend a kiss. He reluctantly bent down and met his lips with hers. Melissa broke the kiss first. "I need to fix Ignacio's mask."

Stu nodded like he understood, but Melissa could tell he was clearly hurt by her brush off. He thought that traveling with her meant spending more time together, but much like him, Melissa had a job that she needed to do too.

* * *

><p>The Corre's music hit and Stu began his slow, cocky descent alone towards the ring. The Intercontinental title belt slung haphazardly over his shoulder. He ignored the boo's from the crowd. Even though Stu was on his home turf, the WWE universe would probably never forgive him for what he did to John Cena. Stu casually stepped into the ring and threw his trademark punch into the air. Stu handed the ref the belt just as "Ride of the Valkyries" echoed throughout the arena. Daniel Bryan, or Bryan Danielson as he was known before the WWE copyrighted name took hold, quickly made his way down to the ring ready to face his opponent. Stu and Bryan had worked together for a brief time in NXT. Presently, Bryan was known as one of the best wrestlers in the world and Stu had worked with him to develop a classic back and forth match for the Manchester crowd.<p>

Stu and Bryan locked up just after the bell rang. Bryan pushed Stu into the far corner of the ring. As Bryan tried to run at him with a shoulder, Stu put his boot up blocking Bryan from completing his move set. As Bryan lay flat on his back, Stu began stomping around him prompting a physical reaction from the Aberdeen, Washington native. Since the belt never changed hands at a house show, Stu made relatively quick work of Bryan. After using the ropes to free himself from the Labell Lock, Stu hit his Wasteland finisher for the win. The sound of "Boos" and his entrance music filled the arena as he hoisted his title high in the air for the crowd to gawk at.

Once backstage, Bryan congratulated Stu on his rise within the company. "It's really great to be working with you again," Bryan said, a genuine smile plastered across his face as he shook the Englishman's hand.

"I'm looking forward to planning future matches with you, Danielson," Stu was genuine in his comment. "I'm glad you're on Smackdown now. It's much more wrestling and less entertainment. I think you'll find you prefer it to Monday nights."

"It's been great so far. Being on the road an extra day is a little rough on the soul, but I'm getting more screen time so I can't really complain," he said flashing that aww shucks smile of his.

"Hopefully we'll be working a program some time soon," Stu said extending his hand out.

Bryan shook his hand. "I'll be taking that title from you soon enough," he stated proudly.

"You and everyone else," Stu said laughing

* * *

><p>"So, then after I fixed Ignacio's mask, Cody came in and needed me to spot clean parts of his jacket and he was so appreciative, Stu." Melissa was rambling on and on about her first day with the WWE. "But you wanna know the best part?"<p>

Despite her rambling, Stu was still engaged in her story. He was lying in bed with his ipad on his lap desperate to get the Premiere league scores while his hand gently stroked her knee. She sat kneeling on the bed emphasizing how great her day had been with her hands and subtle springy jumps. "What, love?"

She put her hands out in front of her to brace Stu for the good news. "Layla came in and asked me to design her next costume!" she screeched.

"That's wonderful news," he smiled.

Melissa showed no signs of slowing down. "She said she loved what I did for AJ and Aksana. I'm going to work on some sketches tonight to show her tomorrow."

"You're already making quite an impression." He squeezed her knee in his hand. "I'm proud of you." His tone was sincere.

Melissa jumped quickly off the bed. "I should get started!" She ran over to her suitcase and pulled out a huge pad of paper and some colored pencils.

Stu began flipping through his ipad. "Bryan and some of the guys and I were going to go out in a few if you're interested in joining us."

"Thanks, but I think I'll stay in tonight and work on this. Plus, I didn't sleep so well last night. I'm an old woman and need to catch up." She laughed at how ridiculous she sounded.

Satisfied with the premiere league results, Stu headed in to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready. "Suit yourself." He scratched the top of her head as he walked by her, but she was too engrossed in picking out a color to respond or return affection.

* * *

><p>Melissa had spent the better part of two hours shading the three drawings that she came up with for Layla's new costume. Two were purple and one was a light metallic blue. She was pleased with her creations. None of them included Layla's patented one long sleeve design. She wanted to give her something new and fresh to accompany her face turn.<p>

It was only 10:30pm, but Melissa was ready for bed. She placed her notebook over by her purse so she was sure to take it with her to the arena the next morning. She was almost too excited to sleep, but she thought it best to get settled before Stu came back to the room - probably again with some assistance from his pals.

As she began to strip down there was a knock at her door. "Who is it?"

A male voice responded. "It's me."

Melissa peeked through the peephole and opened the door.

"I need to talk to you about something. It's about Stu."


	16. Get Out

"Is everything ok?" Melissa asked swallowing hard.

Tim looked worried. "Can I come in?"

"Tell me what's happened to Stu," she said sternly. Tim pushed by her and walked in the room. Melissa shut the door and turned to face him, folding her arms in front of her. She was becoming agitated by the fact that he just wouldn't spit out what he needed to say. Tim stood silent in front of her eyeing her up and down. Melissa was still dressed in her same outfit from earlier in the day. A long, flowy navy blue tank top settled part way down her legs which were covered with brown leggings. It was the same outfit she was wearing that night he proposed to her almost three months prior. Her impatience was getting the best of her. "What is it? What happened to Stu?"

"It's not what's happened," he said slowly. He was now debating whether or not to say anything at all. This had seemed like the perfect plan as he approached her door. Good Guy spills secret about Bad Guy to Girl He Loves. Girl loves him in return. They live happily ever after. Only the roles were reversed in this situation and the Bad Guy stood before Melissa. Tim sucked a deep breath in for courage. "Stu...and Terri were together. He dated her after Karen," Tim said.

"I can't believe it," Melissa said, shaking her head.

Tim sighed and attempted to appear sympathetic."I know, Mel. I couldn't believe it either."

"No, it's not that." She bit the inside of her cheek. "I can't believe you. Why are you doing this?"

Tim looked at her skeptically. "Doing what?"

Melissa folded her arms across her chest. "Making up lies," she said as she paced in front of the hotel bed. "I am so tired of you trying to ruin this relationship. You told me this morning that you could be friends with me, but it's not that easy. It's never that easy!"

"Mel, I…."

"Get out," she interrupted. Melissa walked over to the door and opened it hoping that Tim would take the bait and she would not have to repeat herself.

"Just let me explai…"

"Get out, Tim!" she interrupted again. The very sight of him at this moment was making her stomach turn. Melissa would have none of this childish, foolish behavior. She had experienced enough of that during her relationship with Tim. She needed to put a stop to it once and for all.

Reluctantly, Tim headed towards the door. He paused to look at her. Melissa looked down at the ground to avoid eye contact. "Do you love him?" he asked her. She bit her bottom lip adn didn't respond. There were far too many things she wanted to say to him at that moment that would only escalate the problems between them. "Melissa, do you love him?"

She met her eyes with his. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I know that I don't love you." She let go of the hotel door and let it slam hard against the frame. Melissa started to wonder if this relationship with Stu was far more trouble than it was worth. She sat down on the bed and stared at the wrinkles in the sheets. Tim had been working tirelessly to end her relationship with Stu and desperately wanted to insert himself back in to her life. She was growing increasingly frustrated with the toll that this was taking on her life and her relationships with others. It was hard enough being a woman employed by the WWE, but she was also dating a wrestler. And on top of all that, her personal life was being dragged through the mud. She didn't want to take Stu along for her unfortunate ride and end up hurting his career. After a few moments of thought, she decided to let this rumor that Tim was starting about Stu and Terri go. After all, as she continuously told herself, anything that happened in the past didn't matter.

The door clicked open and Stu strolled in carrying a Burger King bag. "I stopped off on the way home to get you something to eat. I figured you never had dinner and must be starving." Melissa looked up at him, speechless at his generosity. "It's a veggie whopper, no mayo."

She smiled "You read my mind. Did you have fun with the boys tonight? You appear to be in a good shape." She unwrapped the burger and took a huge bite. She had underestimated exactly how hungry she was. It was absolutely delicious.

Stu chuckled. "I was a teetotaler tonight, love. Well, I had one beer early on, but nothing but water for the rest of the evening. Are you proud of me?" He grabbed a few fries from the bag to feed himself. Melissa's mouth was full of food and she nodded in response. "Did you finish your sketches for Layla?"

"I did. They're in that notebook on the floor." Stu wiped the grease from the fries on his pants before picking up her notebook. He opened to the first page and was taken aback. "Mel, this is gorgeous." She could see the pride in his eyes. He flipped to the next page. "These are really great. I think she is going to love these. This is her style."

That was all Melissa needed to hear. "Thank you," she smiled. "That means so much to me. I can't wait to show her at the arena tomorrow." In that moment Stu was what she needed. He was being the supportive, interested, and caring boyfriend that she had never had before.

* * *

><p>"It's unusual for us to tape Smackdown on a Thursday," Terri began. "But the European schedule is so crazy that we never know what day it is anyway. Good thing all we need to do is get on a bus a few times a day and get to where we need to be. How are you holding up so far?"<p>

"So far, so good," Melissa stated through a small, fake smile. Even though she knew Tim was lying, she couldn't help but picture Terri wrapped up in Stu's arms. Since the day had begun she'd been distracted by these images and they were beginning to take over her thought process. "We're only on day three now, right?"

"Yup. It seems like we've been on the road a lot longer, doesn't it?" Terri said laughing. Melissa had found Teri likable from the first time she met her, but that was beginning to change. She realized that even if the rumor was true, it wasn't Terri's fault, or Stu's for that matter. "The schedule definitely takes some getting used to, but it's the best job in the world. Everyone really gets along well and lately there has been no locker room animosity."

_That you know of,_ Melissa thought. "Do you know if Layla has arrived yet? I'm excited to show her my sketches."

"I don't, but let's see them." Terri hopped up from the metal folding chair in their make shift costume area. Melissa retrieved her note pad and hesitated.

"I'm a little nervous to show you these," Melissa admitted. "Stu liked them though."

"I'm sure they're wonderful," Terri said as she grabbed the notepad from Melissa's hands. Terri looked at the first one and glanced up at Melissa. "This is incredible, Mel." She flipped to the next page. "These are all incredible. Do you have other sketches?"

Melissa was blushing. The praise she was receiving made her shy. She didn't take compliments very well. "Not with me, but I have some ideas for different divas I've sketched out."

"You have some real talent here. I'm very impressed," Terri said gushing. She continued to flip through the sketches to see how the ideas took shape. "This is wonderful."

* * *

><p>Tim sat in The Corre locker room waiting for Stu and Heath to arrive. Hector began stretching on the floor to prepare for his match tonight which would be against Tim. Tim had found it difficult to try to plan things out with Hector because he seemed to want to go in to the ring and call the match as it was going on. Tim thought that they would look far more polished if they had worked out the little details ahead of time. He realized early on that he wasn't getting anywhere with Hector and let it go. Although he knew that his attention to detail was ultimately what would set him apart in the finals of NXT.<p>

But Tim also had other things on his mind. He was feeling anxious over seeing Stu. Tim had figured that if Melissa had said anything to Stu about Tim's admission, he would know by now. Stu would not tolerate this behavior from anyone, let alone his rookie that he trusted.

The locked room door opened and Tim jumped in his seat. "What do you say, mate? Are you ready for week three now?" Stu and Heath stood in the doorway looking excited for their competitors.

Heath's eyes bounced back and forth between the two rookies."Have you two worked out the details of your match? It's why we left you two alone for so long."

Hector and Tim nodded silently.

"What's wrong? You two should be thrilled! It's the first time you'll be competing without us. You'll really get to show your stuff," Stu reminded them.

"Are you guys nervous or something?" Heath asked.

Tim was first to speak up. "No, I just have a lot on my mind. I mean...This is just a lot to take in. It's a lot of pressure"

Stu studied Tim for a few moments before responding. He had never seen Tim nervous before. Even when Stu confronted him in the car about his previous relationship with Melissa Tim seemed cool, collected, and his usual cocky self. "You'll be fine out there."

Tim breathed a sigh of relief. Unless Stu was planning some grand punishment, Melissa had not mentioned their conversation to Stu.

* * *

><p>The match had been set with Tim putting Hector over. Tim continued to dominate the standings in first place week after week. For this weeks episode, creative figured that having Hector win over Tim would add fuel to a potential feud and keep the fans interested. Everyone had agreed that watching Tim win week after week was boring.<p>

Even though this would ultimately better his career, Tim did not like the idea of putting Hector over. It wasn't that he was hard to work with or talentless, Tim just didn't feel the need to stop dominating. Based on Tim's behavior that night it became obvious to Stu that Tim was still very green in the wrestling business. Stu wanted Tim to succeed only so they could create a feud of their own and then Stu could take out all this aggression that he'd been fostering towards Tim for the last few months.

Stu escorted Tim down the ramp towards the ring as The Corre's entrance music hit. The audience booed both men as they climbed the ropes. Stu gave Tim a little pep talk as heath and Hector made their way down the ramp to the same theme. Tensions had been stressed between Heath and Hector on the show. Hector was quickly emerging as the top face of NXT.

The bell rang as both men charged at each other from the respective corners and locked up. Tim was stricken with panic in the moment as he remembered that Hector planned on calling the match as they went, but for the moment, Hector was saying nothing. Tim took it upon himself to start calling out moves. "Irish whip," he whispered at Hector as he immediately broke away and grabbed Hector's arm. Hector was launched in to the ropes and came running at Tim with a shoulder block, knocking him down to the ground. Tim jumped right back up and was again knocked down by Hector shoulder blocking him from the other side of the ring. Tim remained down as Hector went for the pin. The ref made a two count and Tim was back up on his feet. During those precious two seconds, Tim called out "corner drop kick" and Hector happily obliged. Both men circled each other as Tim whipped Hector in to the corner of the ring and hit him with a drop kick. Hector fell face first on the mat and Tim rolled him over for another two count.

Stu and Heath stood ring side barking orders at their rookies. The original plan had been for Stu to interfere and cost Tim the match, but creative decided that Tim putting Hector over cleanly would be the better plan. A little more back and forth action between the two rookies before Tim called out "Hit your finisher." Hector hit Tim with a power bomb and pinned him for three count.

After the match Heath raised Hector's hand high in the ring. Tim and Stu jumped Hector and Heath from behind. This would serve as the beginning of Heath's face turn and also help to keep Hector a baby face. The Intercontinental Champion and his protege quickly retreated back up the ramp as their victims lay, motionless in the ring.

"Excellent, excellent job tonight," Stu congratulated Tim with a pat on the back.

"Thanks, man. I can't help but a little pissed off. I had to call the action as we went because Hector refused to plan it out with me."

Stu was impressed. "Really? The whole thing came off pretty flawless. You have some real talent there."

Tim was out of breath from the very physical match he had just had with Hector. "Thanks, again. I couldn't do all this without your help." Tim turned to walk towards the locker room.

"It looks like you have a snag at the top of your shorts," Stu said. "You should go see Mel and have her take a look at it."

Tim's heart started beating faster at the idea of paying a visit to wardrobe. "I've got a few other pairs I can wear."

"Nonsense. We'll go together. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear about your accomplishment tonight."

Stu and Tim walked in to the room and found Melissa sitting at the desk talking with Layla. "That's my favorite one, too" Melissa said smiling. Neither Stu nor Tim had ever seen Melissa so happy.

"Hello, boys!" Layla called out to Stu and Tim. She clapped her hands together in excitement. "I'm getting some new outfits!"

"So I heard," Stu interjected. He winked in Melissa's direction. "Stunning, aren't they? Which one did you pick?"

"The first one. For now. I'm hoping that she'll make all of them for me over time."

Melissa was speechless at the reactions that she was receiving for her designs. "Sure. I mean, if that's what you want. Absolutely!" In that moment, Melissa was reminding Stu of how she was when he first met her. She was shy, nervous, and easily excitable. She was also blushing at all this positive attention that she was being showered with.

"Great. Well, let's do some measurements tomorrow then, yeah?" Layla asked. Both girls were just beaming over this plan. Melissa nodded. There were no words to describe how she was feeling in the moment.

Stu walked over to Melissa as Layla exited the room. "Have you been having a good day, love?"

"The best," she said smiling. She tilted her head back as Stu's lips came down on her waiting lips. "And you?"

"Well, Tim, here, and Hector put on a great match tonight and the seeds of a face turn for Heath have been planted. So I'd say it was a very successful night for all of us." Stu informed her. Melissa didn't turn to look at Tim and had yet to acknowledge his presence in the room. "However, Mr. Drake here does have an unfortunate snag with his shorts."

"Alright," Melissa stated. "You have a few other pairs so just leave me those on your way out and I'll take care of them."

Tim cleared his throat before speaking. "Sure, Mel, that sounds good."

Melissa was eager to change the subject. "You boys better go get cleaned up. Terri went to catering to get us some leftovers to take back to the hotel tonight. Then we have to pack up all this mess."

"Let me know if you need any help, love," Stu added before stepping out of the door with Tim.

"I'll, uh, be right back with these then," Tim stammered over his words. He lingered in the doorway for a little while waiting for Melissa to respond, but she began packing her bag. "Will you still be..."

Melissa cut him off. Her tone was cold. "Why don't you just bring them to Terri tomorrow and she'll work with you from now on." Melissa had never stayed mad at Tim. Even after all the lies he continuously fed her she always found a way to make a friendship work. Tim's motive was no longer to steal Melissa from Stu, but to help her to see the kind of person that Stu really is.

* * *

><p><strong>We're working towards a "bigger picture" here, so to speak ;) Thanks again for all the reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I love how melodramatic it is :)<strong>


	17. Cardiff

Melissa lay in bed sketching out more drawings for Layla and the other Divas. At the encouragement of Stu and Terri, she was spending more time designing pieces. Since Stu was the poster child for the WWE in the UK, he'd been spending his days doing autograph signings and various media appearance. He had invited her along to sit with him, but she didn't want to cramp his style or watch girls fawn over him. They also needed time apart. The day was free for her to do what she had wanted and she had planned on sketching all day.

There was a knock at her door. "Mel, it's Ryan. Are you in there?"

"Just a second." Melissa picked a pair of lounge pants off the floor and put them on. They happened to be Stu's. She giggled as she bunched the fabric at the top and pulled them up high around her waist. She opened the door and acted as if it was totally normal."Whats up?"

Ryan laughed. "I'm guessing those aren't your pants."

Melissa played it off. "Oh, these old things?"

Ryan wagged his finger at her. "You are one adjustment away from those things falling to your ankles."

"I know" Melissa nodded. "So, what's up?"

"Didn't know what you were up to today. Thought you might want to grab a bite and walk around a little bit. I've never been to Cardiff before." Ryan had thought for a while about whether or not it was a good idea to ask Melissa out on a sight seeing adventure. He knew that she would be a fun person to meander around the city with. Her enthusiasm for travel and new experiences was unmatched by anyone else on the roster. Everyone else had been to England before and spent their down time sleeping, eating, or at the gym. He also knew that Stu had a ton on his plate during the day in his home country. It created the perfect opportunity for them spend time together.

Melissa smiled. "What a coincidence. Neither have I! Come on in. Just let me get dressed and we can go." Melissa grabbed a few articles of clothing out of her suitcase and headed in to the bathroom. "Do you have any place in mind?," she yelled back at Ryan.

Ryan paced around the room. He didn't want to sit on the bed that she shared with Stu. "Maybe head towards Cardiff Castle and just figure it out from there?" He heard her run the faucet in the bathroom. "I mean, whatever you're up for."

Melissa opened the bathroom door. Her hair was pulled up in to a high pony tail. She had on dark jeans and a red scoop neck shirt. Despite being dressed so simply, Ryan was taken a back by how beautiful she was. "Let's fly by the seat of our pants."

* * *

><p>Cardiff Castle was about a thirty minute walk from the hotel and both parties were eager to see what else the city had to offer. Melissa's eye caught something beautiful in a store front.<p>

"That orange scarf in the window is amazing," she exclaimed, pressing her hands to the glass window of the shop. "Do you mind if we go in?" Ryan gestured towards the door. Melissa pushed the door open and ran right over to it. "It's only seven pounds. I deserve a little reward. I've purchased nothing at all on this trip."

"You don't need to justify anything to me. You'd be amazed at how much the girls on the roster shop. This is nothing. Get it for yourself," Ryan urged her.

Melissa handed the clerk the paper bills and coin necessary to make the purchase and wrapped the scarf around her neck. "Will you be needing a bag?" the clerk asked.

Ryan laughed. "No, I don't think that will be necessary." Melissa said. "Thank you. Our adventure awaits!" Melissa declared. Ryan again laughed and escorted her towards the door with his hand on her lower back. "So, we haven't really had a chance to talk. How's being back?"

"Back in England?" Ryan asked. He knew exactly what she meant.

"Nooooo," she said playfully pushing on his arm. "Being back in the WWE. Wrestling again," she jumped in front of him and excitedly started yelling. "The crowds cheering! The lights! The signs! The fanfare!" She had been announcing each item of enjoyment in different voices and inflections.

Ryan found himself turning shy in her presence. This was the first time they had been with each other outside of work. "It's great. I couldn't imagine doing anything else."

"Yeah, that's what Stu says, too." And there it was. Ryan was hoping that they would make it through the entire day hanging out without her mentioning him. The very sound of his name was starting to irk him. Stu had this beautiful, smart, and funny girl and had no idea how to treat her appropriately. Melissa had sensed Ryan slip away from her in the moment. "Hey!" She yelled, flinging her scarf back around her neck. "That sign says we're half way there."

* * *

><p>Stu walked in to the hotel room to find it empty. "Mel? Mel? Are you in here?" Stu was exhausted from his meet and greet session. He'd quietly slipped out of bed at 5am, showered, dressed and was chauffeured around Cardiff for an early morning radio interview, a late morning television interview and an early afternoon autograph signing. All of the interactions and being on for the hundreds of people that would pass by his autograph table had exhausted him for the day.<p>

He was constantly asked the same questions. "Were you really a bare-knuckle fighter?" "If you could wrestle anyone who would it be?" "How do you feel about Tough Enough?" And of course there were the people who started their interviews with "Now, I've never watched the WWE..." Those were his favorite interviews. Part of him just wanted to tell them to "fuck off" and let him be, but he knew that being a good ambassador for the WWE was ultimately going to get him to where he wanted to be. So, he conceded and went through the same motions for each interview. Often times in the states he was the one selected from the roster to call in to stations and promote the show. At least in the UK he could chat about soccer with the host and at least discuss something else he was passionate about.

Stu filled a plastic cup from the bathroom with water and carried it back in to the bed room. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed in to bed. Stu was grateful Melissa had run out and he was hoping to catch a few hours of sleep before she returned, but he would fall asleep faster if she was lying beside him.

* * *

><p>"I don't know," Ryan began. "I guess I feel like if you've seen one castle, you've seen them all, you know?"<p>

Melissa smiled. "Have you really seen that many castles?" Ryan laughed. "Because I don't remember too many royal families or former Roman empires decorating the Las Vegas landscape."

Ryan shook his head. "You have me there."

Suddenly, the wind blew by again and ripped Melissa's scarf from around her neck. Ryan took off chasing it down the street while Melissa slowly ran behind, laughing from the experience.

The scarf caught on a small bush on the side of the road and Ryan carefully peeled it out from around the tiny, soft branches. Melissa finally caught up to him. "My hero!" Ryan blushed slightly and contemplated momentarily about how to present her back with the scarf. He took a step towards Melissa and held the scarf out towards her. She looked Ryan in the eyes and smiled as she reached out for it. He quickly pulled his hands back and pressed the scarf to his chest, his eyes locked in with hers.

Melissa tiled her head to the side and furrowed her brow. "Ryan..."

Ryan reached forward and wrapped the scarf around her neck knotting it at the bottom. "There," he said smiling. "Now it won't go anywhere." He turned and started walking back towards the hotel. Stunned, Melissa stood in place momentarily before running to catch up.

"Okay, that was weird." Melissa stated as she met up with Ryan. "What was that?"

Ryan carried on as if nothing happened. "What was what?"

"Come on. You know...you were being..." Ryan was going to make her say it. "Flirty."

"I know," he said smiling.

"Well, you can't do that," Melissa said firmly.

"Can't or shouldn't?" In that moment Ryan wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her about Stu's engagement to Karen. He wanted to tell her about the few weeks he was with Terri. He wanted to tell her everything, but he didn't want to break her heart. She would never forgive him.

"You know what I mean." There was a ton of annoyance in Melissa's voice. "It's inappropriate."

"You're right. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

A million thoughts were running through Melissa's head. She had never thought of Ryan as someone that was interested in her. She actually never thought that anyone was ever interested in her. Being around Ryan was relaxing. She felt like she could truly be herself. Melissa shook her head. "You didn't."

The walk back to the hotel took far shorter than the walk to Cardiff Castle. Ryan and Melissa rode the elevator together in silence, but both of them wanted nothing more than to talk.

Melissa put her key card in the door and slightly opened it. "I had a blast with you today. Thank you for inviting me along."

"My pleasure. I'm sure there will be more opportunities on this trip."

Melissa felt awkward about the walk back and, instead of a hug, put her hand out towards Ryan. Ryan bit his bottom lip, but met her hand with his. He was hoping for a hug or any other type of physical contact. After a split second of consideration, Melissa smiled and wrapped her arms around Ryan's hulking frame. "Thanks for a fun day." They parted and Ryan took off down the hall towards his room, glancing back at the door that was slowly closing.

"Mel? Is that you?" Stu was beginning to wake up from his sleep.

"Yeah." Melissa set her bag down and crawled in to bed. She wrapped her arms around Stu's waist and rested her head on his arm. "I just got back from Cardiff Castle. It's so beautiful there." She kissed his arm. "How was your day?"

"Exhausting. Per usual. Did you go by yourself or run off with someone?" He rolled over to face her.

"Ryan and I went. We had a great time. He's a good travel partner."

"Oh?" he asked. "And where did this scarf come from?"

Melissa was beaming with joy. "Just a store in town. Do you like it?" She knelt on the bed and began making modeling poses, flipping the scarf around her.

Stu smiled at how adorable she was acting. "I love it. How come you went out with Ryan?"

"Because he asked me."

Stu was acting suspicious and distant."Oh. Did he?"

Melissa bit the inside of her cheek. "Uh, yeah." Stu's reaction was making her nervous. She swallowed hard. "Is that ok?"

"What's done is done," he said, sitting up in bed.

Melissa placed her hand on his knee. "What does that mean? Do you not want me to hang out with him? I don't understand."

"Why didn't you go out with Nattie or Maryse or Terri?"

"Because Ryan and I are friends. We have been friends since I started working for FCW. Whats the problem?" Stu sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. Melissa knew this was a bad time, but if they were already having a heated discussion, she wanted a little leverage on her side. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, love." Stu's tone had changed. He realized maybe he was making a big deal out of nothing; that all this traveling and interaction was exhausting.

"Never mind," Melissa got up off the bed and headed in to the bathroom to brush her hair. The wind had made a mess of her 'do.

"Come on, Mel. Ask me. I'll tell you anything you want to know. That's our new policy right? Being honest with each other?"

Melissa sighed and walked to the bathroom doorway. "Did you ever date Terri?" Stu's eyes darted over towards her. Melissa lost all her confidence. "Like, was she your last girlfriend?"

Stu clicked his jaw. "Where did you hear that?"

Melissa turned away and headed back in to the bathroom. "It doesn't matter. Forget I said anything."

"Mel, who told you that? Was it Ryan?" Stu jumped up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom.

"No, it wasn't Ryan." Melissa said as she pulled the elastic out of her hair.

Stu leaned his hands on the bathroom counter. "I knew he'd say something."

"Wait. No, I said it wasn't Ryan." Melissa reaffirmed.

Stu raised his voice and folded his arms in front of him. "Well, who was it then?"

Melissa was growing aggravated at Stu's request for details. "Why don't you tell me if it's true and stop worrying about who told me." Stu remained silent. "It's true, isn't it?" Stu nodded. "Is she the one that couldn't be with you because of the traveling?"

Stu rubbed his eyes. This conversation was beginning to give him a headache. "No. That was Karen. My ex-fiancé." Stu's demeanor changed. He was now trying to reassure Melissa that this was none of her concern. "Terri and I were only together briefly. We both knew it was a mistake."

"Ex-fiancé?" Melissa was still fixated on Karen. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Stu became defensive. "You're the one always saying that all that stuff is in the past."

Melissa put her hands up to get him to stop talking. She didn't want to hear any excuses, even if they were her own. "When were you with Terri?"

"I ended it the week I met you."

Melissa laughed. "Oh, that's not weird at all then." Melissa walked back in to the bedroom.

Stu followed closely behind her. "Look, it's the WWE. We all turn towards each other to ease the pain of being on the road from time to time."

Melissa turned to face him and crossed her arms. "Is that what I am to you?" She sucked in her lips and was biting them nervously.

"No, but it's what you might be to Ryan." Stu didn't deal well with confrontation. He always became defensive and blamed the actions of other people.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Why do you keep going back to that?"

Stu walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, squeezing her tense muscles in his hands. "Because. I knew he would try to split us up."

"Well, it wasn't him. Tim told me, if you must know."

Stu laughed. "Tim? How would he know such a thing about me?"

Melissa shrugged. "I don't know. I thought he was lying, but I think you're the only one that is now."

"It's not lying, Mel. I just didn't tell you."

"Remember how you made a big deal out of my former relationship with Tim? Well, you dated my current boss. Excuse me if that's a little weird to me." Melissa grabbed her purse and hotel key.

Stu grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "Where do you think you're going?"

Melissa's eyes filled up with tears. "This isn't working, Stu. It shouldn't be this hard," Melissa exited and headed down the hallway to Ryan's room. She knew it wasn't best that she go there given the accusations and events of the day, but he was her closest confidant. She knocked three times on the door.

"Just a second..." Ryan called out. Moments later he opened the door.

"Hey, I'm sorry to bother you right now...Stu and Terri dated and I think I just broke up with Stu," she blurted out Ryan nodded his head. Melissa looked down at the ground. "What the fuck?" she mumbled under her breath. Melissa heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door open. She was expecting to see Heath emerge.

Ryan stepped out in to the hallway and let the door close slightly behind him. "Mel, right now might not be the best time," Ryan whispered.

Terri walked in to view from the bathroom. "Who's at the door, Ry?" Terri approached Ryan from behind and wrapped her arms around his chest. Ryan lowered his head and looked at Melissa. Her face had turned red with embarrassment, but he could tell she was also feeling shocked and hurt.

"Oh, shit," Melissa whispered. She bit her bottom lip. "I should go," she said nodding. "Yeah, I should definitely go."

* * *

><p><strong>These two are so melodramatic! We are nearing the end of this story. Any idea as to where it's going? Again, thanks for all the feedback! I love knowing your thoughts and appreciate them. <strong>


	18. Closure

Stu's insomnia was continuing to wreak havoc on his schedule. Tonight's circumstances for insomnia were different than most other nights. He was worried about Melissa. In the past when she had stormed out of the room in a huff she would return within an hour. Then they would have an in depth discussion about how they would both be more and change followed by mind-blowing and rough make up sex.. Stu glanced at the clock. It was 3:30am. She'd stormed out around 9:30pm. _Where the hell did she go?_

"Did she really break up with me?" he said out loud to himself for the hundredth time. He had thought about walking around the hotel and the grounds trying to find her, but if she had not come back by now, she wouldn't want to see him. Still, he was worried for her general well being and wanted to make he was safe. The lack of sleep was starting to mess with his thought process. Stu threw on the lounge pants Melissa had hoisted up on herself the day before, threw a dark green t-shirt on over his head, grabbed a hotel key and headed out in to the hallway.

As he headed towards the elevator, he turned his head around at the sound of door opening. Terri was sneaking out of Ryan's room. Stu paused and watched her as she quietly closed the door behind her. Terri turned to see Stu staring and let out a yelp. "Jesus, Stu!" She whispered putting her hand over her heart. "You scared me half to death! What are you doing up?"

"I'm going to look for Melissa," he said. The sight of Terri in that moment infuriated him. Maybe she was the one who told Tim. "What are you doing up?"

Terri winked. "Just making my rounds," she said as she sauntered up to him. "Melissa stopped by the room a few hours ago to talk to Ryan, but he was a little busy."

Stu shook his head. "You're unbelievable."

"Thank you," she said as she pressed the button to the elevator. "So, you two had a fight?" Stu nodded. "What about?"

"You," Stu said biting his bottom lip. "I never told her we dated."

Terri laughed. "We didn't date. We were just fucking, Stu."

"I think that's almost worse," he said with a chuckle.

The elevator door open and both Stu and Terri turned to see Melissa standing in the elevator. A barely audible "Mel" escaped from Stu's lips as Melissa angrily pushed through them and walked back to the room.

"Good luck," Terri stated as she stepped in to the elevator.

"Mel!" Stu chased her down the hall way to their room. "I was just coming to find you."

"At three thirty in the morning? Whatever. I just came back to get my things," she said without turning back to look at him.

"Melissa, can we talk, please?" Stu was almost beginning to beg. He barely ever used her proper first name.

Melissa put her suitcase on the bed and began emptying the contents of the drawers in to it. "All we do is talk, Stu. And every day I feel like we find out more and more about each other that is just..." Melissa searched for the right words. "..hurtful," she bit her lower lip and looked down at the suitcase. "I just think we need time apart. It's all happening so fast."

Stu climbed up on the bed and placed his large hands on top of her suitcase. "What if we get it all out?" Melissa sighed and took a step back. "What if I tell you everything and we have no more secrets?" Her eyes began to fill up with tears. She tucked her chin in to her chest and let her hair fall in front. She didn't want him to see her cry. She was trying to be strong. Stu picked up and moved the suitcase that lay between them. "Mel, I love you."

She sniffled back her tears. She couldn't believe she still had tears left. The last six hours were spent sitting on a bench in the back of the hotel crying until she had a headache and then crying some more. "I don't think I can do this," Melissa said between sobs.

"What do you mean?" Stu leaned in close and brushed the hair from her face.

"You told me before that I should get out if I didn't think I could handle this type of relationship." Stu nodded. "I can't handle it. It's too much. It's too complicated. We both deserve better than this." Melissa walked in to the bathroom to gather her toiletries.

"I think you just need some time to..."

She stood in the bathroom doorway. "No. I've thought about it. You don't need me here to complicate things for you back stage. You have an amazing career ahead of you and I don't want to be the one that fucks it up for you."

"Come on, Mel. We can work through this." Stu was stunned.

Her tone turned sympathetic. She sat down next to him on the bed. "I don't think we can. I care about you tremendously, but this is too much right now for me to handle."

Stu nodded like he understood when really he was processing all this new information. "Where are you going to stay tonight?"

"I don't know," she said shrugging. "I didn't think about it."

"You can stay here and I'll sleep on the floor," Stu suggested throwing a pillow down on the floor. Melissa sat quietly, staring at the ground. "Can I say something?"

"Of course," she said. Melissa was exhausted from all the thinking about talking.

Stu sat down next to her on the bed. "Do you think things would be different back in Tampa?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. That's hard to say."

"Look, Mel, I'm not ready to give up on this yet. Obviously this hasn't been an ideal start to a relationship for either of us. 've loved every moment I have spent with you."

Melissa turned her face to meet his. Stu leaned over and wiped a tear out from under her eye. She flinched at his touch and moved away. "Let's try to get a few hours of sleep, ok?"

Stu reluctantly stood up and moved to the floor. Melissa turned the light off on the nightstand, rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Stu was still in the shower when Melissa headed downstairs for the continental breakfast in the hotel. Aside from a somewhat hostile "good morning" they hadn't said anything else to each other since their discussion last night. Melissa rounded the corner in to the breakfast room and there was only one familiar face: Terri's.<p>

"Well," Terri said looking up from her magazine. "I guess you and I have some things we need to talk about." Melissa nodded. "Have a seat, dear." Behind Terri's words was a friendly sarcasm that made Melissa uncomfortable. "I heard you found out that your boyfriend and I used to be together."

"He's not my boyfriend anymore," Melissa stated.

Terri bit her bottom lip. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it wasn't because of me."

Melissa didn't want to give her the satisfaction. "Nope."

"Anyway, you'll bounce back quickly. There is another man who is interested in you, you know?"

Melissa rolled her eye and let out a soft chuckle. "Tim? I'm well aware of that. No thanks."

Terri shook her head. "No. Wrong muscle head. Try Ryan."

"But, didn't you..." Melissa began.

"Stop that. We're good friends who used to sleep together. We haven't for a long time. He called me over to talk last night."

Melissa didn't believe a word coming out of Terri's mouth. "To talk about what?"

"You." Melissa began rubbing her temples. This was too much information for the last 24 hours. Terri sighed at her reaction. "Look, I'm not here to tell you what to do. They're both great guys. You and Stu had a shitty start, I get that. Ryan is just worried about you. He wants nothing more than for you to be happy."

"And if I'm happy with Stu?"

Terri chuckled. "Are you?"

"I could be, I guess." Melissa had a hard time believing her own words.

"Stu doesn't get involved with someone unless he really cares for them. He and I were just a fling. I was his rebound from Karen and I'm fine with that. It was never meant to be anything more. Just be glad that it was me, because it could have been you."

Melissa was deep in thought but managed to add to the conversation. "Last night he told me that he loved me."

"And what did you say?"

"Nothing." Melissa thought back on all the possible hurt her words caused Stu last night.

Terri sighed. "We're headed home today. Maybe this will be clearer to you when you've had time to digest everything." Terri packed her magazine and phone in to her bag and stood up. "Don't let on to Ryan, or Stu for that matter, what we talked about, ok?" Melissa nodded. Terri put her arms out for a hug. "Are we cool?" Melissa again nodded and stood up. "I like you, Mel. And you have a lot of talent. I hope we'll be working again soon." Terri's smile was sincere.

"Thanks, Terri. Me too."

"Hang in there, baby girl. I'll see you on the bus."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you everyone for all the feedback! This is my first story and I'm amazed to see how it has completely changed from my original thought. Your kind words mean so much to me. Please continue to let me know what you think. I appreciate it all! Only a few more chapters left...<strong>


	19. Be Ready For Fun

Ben sat at his desk reviewing a work order for equipment maintenance when Melissa walked in. It was her first day back at FCW since returning from Europe. Ben had generously given her until Monday off before asking her to return to her duties there full time. Melissa stood in front of his desk with a sheet of paper in her hand.

"Good morning, Ben," Melissa greeted.

Ben greeted her enthusiastically. "Hey Melissa! Great to see you. How was Europe?"

Her face held a fairly somber expression. "It was great. I really feel like I learned a lot. How are things with you?" There was a complete lack of emotion behind her statement.

"Great. Can't complain. Now, what can I do for you?" He put his hands together and leaned on his desk.

"I'm here to submit my letter of resignation." She handed the letter to Ben from across the desk.

Ben grabbed the letter, but didn't even bother to read it. He just set it aside on his desk. "Melissa, I'm confused. Things are going so well for you here."

She swallowed hard. Her hands were beginning to sweat. She had spent the plane ride home and the last two days mulling over this decision. "I know. Professionally, they are, but I'm just really home sick, I guess."

"You guess?" Ben asked skeptically. Melissa nodded. "Melissa, come on. What's going on? Did something happened in Europe? Is it the travel?"

"Yeah. It's...it's the travel."

Ben leaned back in his office chair and ripped the letter in half. "I can't let you quit."

"You don't really have a choic-"

"No, you don't really have a choice. You signed a contract for at least a year. You can ask for your release for personal reasons, but I need you to reconsider. Should you change your mind the WWE would never hire you again. You'd be throwing away an amazing opportunity."

Melissa knew he was right. She was never one to give up when things became too difficult. She only moved on when a better opportunity presented itself. Melissa knew she needed to grow up and treat this job as her profession, her livelihood. Wrestlers always dated other wrestlers and when they broke up, they moved on to someone else. She needed to be more like that. "I'll reconsider," she said.

"I think that's smart," Ben stated. "I really hope you stay. The backstage crew is really high on you - said you're very talented and easy to work with. You have great job security here, Melissa. Don't blow this."

She nodded. "You're right. I don't know what came over me."

Melissa did know what drove her to this decision. On the flight home, she sat on the opposite end of the plane from Stu. He was not even trying to socialize with other people and put up a front, he was sincerely devastated by their break up and it showed on his face. Melissa in turn spent the flight home ignoring everyone as well. She really hadn't made strong bonds with anyone on the roster. And Ryan, having heard second hand from Terri about their break up, spent the flight home catching up with his old Nexus members, Heath Slater and David Otunga. Both men advised him to steer clear of Melissa at this time.

There was something about her relationship with Stu that she didn't trust. She truly wanted to believe that at this moment they had both cleared all of their dirty laundry. She knew she had. But what about him? Did he also have a relationship with Layla or Kelly Kelly? Was he more of a womanizer prior to meeting her? These were the questions that raced through her head.

She took the few steps back to her office and was shocked at what she found. There were flowers sitting on her desk and Tim Drake sitting on her desk.

"I know you hate me right now," Tim started.

"Take them back," she advised. Her anger was seething.

"They're not from me. They were here when I got here." Tim stood up and moved further away from her. This apology was going to be difficult for him. "I know I ruined everything for you and Stu. I'm not proud of that."

Melissa snickered and crossed her arms. "You expect me to believe that!" She shut the door to her office. "That's what you said you wanted this whole time, Tim!"

"I know, I know," Tim backtracked and attempted to de-escalate the situation. "I realized that I just want you to be happy. And I saw that on this trip."

"With Stu?" Melissa stated.

"No, with Ryan. And if I had to guess where those flowers came from. My answer would be him." Tim handed the card that was sticking out of the bouquet to Melissa.

She slowly tore the envelope and read the card to herself. _Congratulations on surviving your first WWE tour. -R_. She was thankful that he didn't send a consolatory break up bouquet. She was also thankful that they weren't from Stu, but it proved that Stu was giving her her space like she asked for. Melissa stood there holding the card in her hands and reading the words to herself over and over.

"I'm gonna go and work out. Let me know if you need a shoulder to, uh, you know, cry on or anything." Tim said as he walked out of Melissa's office.

Melissa picked up her cell phone and dialed Ryan's number. The phone rang three times before he picked up.

"Good morning, Mel. Whats up?"

Melissa spoke rapidly. "Do you wanna go out on a date with me tonight?"

There was silence on the other end of the line. "What?"

She panicked. "The flowers you sent are beautiful."

Ryan laughed. "No, what did you say before that?"

Melissa took a deep breath. "Do you want to go out on a date with me?"

"Yes. I'll pick you up at 8. Be ready for some fun."

* * *

><p>Stu and Tim were scheduled to be part of the three hour Raw taping in Tampa that night. Stu couldn't have been more thrilled to have to put off making travel arrangements for another week. He'd distracted himself from his break up with Melissa by catching up on the responsibilities of his adult life. He paid bills, took his car in for an oil change, completed his grocery shopping and picked up a few things at the supplement store. None of it had proved to be a great distraction and he was finding himself with his finger hovering over Melissa's name on his phone, eager to press "call."<p>

Most of his evenings had been spend trying to brain storm some big romantic gesture. Perhaps, as a joke, playing "Purple Rain" from a boom box outside of her apartment. However, one evening he'd spent at Hyde Park House by himself. Looking to ease the pain of the break up, he hit on a girl at the bar, who bore a striking resemblance to Melissa. When the time came to take her home, he panicked and left her with a fake number stating he needed to get up early for work the next day. He wasn't ready to move on.

This weeks episode of NXT had an interesting twist. Stu and Tim were to again team up as tag team partners against DH Smith and Natalya's rookie Rick Matthews. Stu walked in to the locker room and went to sit in a corner by himself.

Tim came over to greet him. "Hey, Stu. How's it going?" Stu didn't bother to make eye contact or respond. He opened his suitcase and started sorting out what he needed for the evening. "We need to work out our angle for this evening."

"We'll be fine," Stu responded with out acknowledging Tim. "You're good about calling the action in the ring. Besides, I'm not going to tag in any way. That's part of the plan."

"Right," Tim was almost afraid to respond. "But you're supposed to turn on me tonight. Shouldn't I know what you're planning to do?"

Stu looked up at Tim. His voice was deep and menacing. "No, it will be far more convincing if you don't."

* * *

><p>DH and Rick were waiting inside the ring when Wade Barrett's entrance music hit. Wade led the way to the ring with Tim taking careful and cautious steps behind him. While DH and Natalya offered words of wisdom to Rick, Stu and Tim stood side by side not even acknowledging each other.<p>

The ref signaled for the match to start. Rick and Tim circled around each other before briefly locking up. Tim whipped Rick in to an empty corner of the ring and charged towards him. Rick moved out of the way and Tim flew head first in to the turn buckle. Rick grabbed Tim by the shoulder and spun him around, quickly tossing him in to the adjacent corner. Tim collapsed on the ground and rolled over on to his back. Rick went to grab at his legs, but Tim pushed him off and to the ground. Tim sauntered over to Wade to make the tag as Rick reached for DH. However, Tim was denied the tag by Wade when Wade jumped down off the ring apron. Tagged in, DH grabbed Tim's feet and pulled him in to the center of the ring where he would apply the sharpshooter. Tim tapped out in three seconds.

DH and Rick left the ring celebrating. Tim lay dormant, catching his breath as Wade climbed through the ropes and in to the ring. He pulled Tim up to his feet by his hair. Tim stood in front of Wade wobbling and trying to maintain his balance. Wade planted a right hook square across Tim's chin knocking him out cold to the mat. Wade picked up Tim up again and used The Wasteland to continue making his statement: The relationship between Tim Drake and Wade Barrett was over. Three referees stormed the ring to prevent Wade from doing any more damage.

Tim wasn't moving.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! This story as been a BLAST to write. As always, I appreciate all your feedback. I love hearing what you think!<strong>


	20. Pickled Ramps

"Mike! Get the smelling salts!" a short, older man with a white mustache stood over Tim on the stretcher. He opened Tim's eyes and shined his tiny flashlight over his pupils to see if they were dilated.

"Is he breathing?" Mike, the other EMT, asked. He handed the older gentleman, known backstage as Red, the salts.

"Yes, he's stable," Red stated as he waved the small packet of salts under Tim's nose. Tim slowly swatted away the lingering smell of the salts. "Tim! It's Red! Do you know where you are?"

Tim attempted to lift his head, but it proved to be too much work. "Yeah," he mumbled. "I'm backstage. We're in Tampa."

"Do you know what happened?" Mike asked quickly as he searched through his EMT bag.

Tim's head and neck hurt. It had been a long time since he had taken a punch like that. Of course in the world of professional wrestling there were occasional accidents, but Tim was usually ready for those having anticipated the spot. This punch had completely blindsided him. He spoke slowly. "Stu punched me out." He swallowed hard and ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth. "Can I have some water?"

"Yeah," Red replied. "Mike, can you grab that?"

"Sure thing." Mike opened the door and walked out just as Stu was walking through to check in on Tim. Tim had now propped himself on up his elbows and saw the hulking Englishman saunter in through the doorway.

"Before you say anything," Tim began. "I know I deserved that." Stu stood in the doorway looking at him. He was still seething with anger. Perhaps, it was in poor taste to come and see Tim when his mind still wasn't right. "I know how much it sucks."

Stu scoffed in response. "It wasn't an intentional punch, Tim," he snapped back.

Tim put his hand up to prevent him from talking about it more. He didn't need his business heard by the trainers in the area. "All, I'm saying is..."

"I don't care what you're saying," Stu yelled back. "I just came back here to check on you and see how you are. I felt bad you weren't able to protect yourself when you hit the mat." He was finding it impossible to have a conversation with Tim about this without becoming more agitated.

Red looked at the two gentlemen. He could have cut the tension with a knife. Red was a veteran in the business and seen situations like this pop up time and time again. Knowing it wasn't any of his business, he was quick to excuse himself. . "Tim, I'm going to hop over to the can. You good?"

Tim nodded. Red nodded in Stu's direction as he made his way out of the trainer area. "Before you say anything else, I'm not going to go to management or press charges or anything like that. I've been a total dick."

"You thought you could get her back, didn't you?" Stu asked.

Tim chuckled. "It worked in the past." Tim's cockiness was driving Stu close to the edge of madness.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Stu said, wishing he had a better come back.

"Believe it or not, Bennett, I'm trying to change." And he was. Tim could have told Stu about the flowers that Ryan sent Melissa and how she had an extra spring in her step for the rest of the day. He knew that if Stu found out, Ryan would be the next one knocked out.

* * *

><p>Ryan walked up the two flights of stairs to Melissa's apartment. Despite being friends now for a while he had never actually been to her place. After a brief hesitation, he rang the doorbell. He saw Melissa's shadow through the curtain of her kitchen window heading towards the door.<p>

"Well, hello there," she said. Melissa was wearing a ruffled purple blouse and a pair of dark wash, wide leg jeans. A pair of black open toe heels peeked out from under the cuff of her pants. "Don't you look nice," she said looking Ryan up and down. His ensemble was just as casual. A royal blue shirt clung to his frame. His jeans hung low on his hips. For the first time in his life Ryan was speechless. His palms were sweaty from nerves. It had been too long since he had had a proper date. It had been even longer since he had taken out a girl he had more of an interest in than just sex. "Would you like to come in?"

Ryan snapped out of his daze. "I'd love to. You look beautiful, Mel." She blushed in response. She still wasn't used to receiving compliments.

After a quick walk through her apartment, she accompanied him to his car. Being a gentleman, Ryan opened the door for her and shut it once she climbed in. "Well, where are we headed?" she asked. Ryan had yet to give her any indication of what they were doing this evening.

"Oh, shoot. I was supposed to plan something, wasn't I?" Ryan joked. Melissa playfully punched him in the arm. "We're going to grab some dinner and take a walk along the beach. Nothing too crazy, Anderson."

Melissa laughed. No one had ever called her by her last name. "Well, I'm looking forward to it."

Ryan pulled in to the parking lot of The Refinery, a fairly new and popular Tampa restaurant. Luckily, Ryan had thought ahead to make reservations and they were seated immediately. Knowing that Melissa frequented the farmers market and loved local beer, he figured that The Refinery was the type of place she would dig.

The walls of the restaurant were covered with chalk board paint and colorful chalk advertised their drink list. Seeing all the tiny plates and salads that the wait staff was bringing to the tables, Ryan had a moment of culinary panic. "I'll be honest," Ryan started. "I feel a little out of my element here."

They both laughed. "Relax. I'm sure they have steak." Melissa opened her menu and found it immediately. "See? The Hotel Hanger Steak. My work here is done."

"Well, then it's only fair that I get to pick your meal," he retorted.

The waitress walked over to their table and filled their water glasses while relaying the days specials. "Are you already to order?"

"Yes," Melissa said. "He'll have the Hotel Hanger Steak," she said.

Ryan said. "And she will have the Keta Salmon."

"Seriously?" Melissa said. "I don't know what 'pickled ramps' are."

"All the more reason for you to try it," he advised.

Melissa laughed. "This from the man who saw only salads and had an anxiety attack. Very interesting..."

"What can I say?" Ryan shrugged. "I'm a simple man. So, tell me, Mel. How did the rest of the week go for you?" He knew he was treading on shaky ground by asking that question. There was no doubt in his mind that her break up with Stu had been the main focus of the past few days. He decided that it was worth the risk.

Her demeanor changed slightly and her tone became insincere. "It was good," she said. He knew she was trying to hard to convince him that she was not as devastated as she appeared. "I went to my kick boxing class with Catie, ran my usual errands, cooked some meals for the week. Umm...It was great to get back to FCW and tackle all the work that had been building up."

"Have you had a chance to work on Layla's outfit at all?"  
>"Yes, actually. I drew out the pattern. I'm just waiting for the fabric I ordered to arrive. I think it's going to look great on her. I'm so thrilled she loved my designs."<p>

"She and everyone else. The diva's in general were very impressed with your work. I think Melina wants to talk to you about an idea she had for ring gear."

Melissa gushed with pride. This was the first time since contemplating resigning that she actually realized why she moved down to Tampa in the first place. She had to remain focused on her goals.

"I hear you have a big match on Smackdown tomorrow night. You are taking on Sheamus. That's insane," she said.

"Yeah, well. Creative feels that I am ready," he said non chalantly.

"That's like a main event feud. Are you nervous? I'd be so nervous!" she squirmed in her seat a little bit.

"Nope. Not nervous at all. I feel great. I know I'm ready," he stated confidently.

The waitress brought their dinners over to the table. Melissa picked at hers briefly attempting to decipher what all the various root vegetables on her plate surrounding the salmon were. The conversation turned in to more "getting to know you" questions. Ryan spoke highly of his parents and three sisters. He described to Melissa what it was like to grow up in a conservative house hold and how those ideals helped to shape who he is today. Despite not wanting to discuss politics, Ryan pried. Melissa found herself trying to justify her feelings on prisoner rehabilitation, welfare, and social services. She was raised to help those less fortunate than her and to give back to her community. Ryan had a hard time accepting this and the conversation was starting to give her a headache.. Things really came to a head when he brought up the war in Iraq.

"So, what you're saying is we never should've gone in to Afghanistan in the first place?" Ryan was gesturing with the utensils he was using to cut his steak.

Melissa wiped her napkin across her face and nodded. "Right."

"How can you be so naive?" Ryan was growing defensive. That comment took Melissa back a bit. This was why she hates discussing politics and social issues. She was always able to understand other's points of view no matter how much she disagreed, but she was always being told she was too idealistic. "That's where the Taliban was hiding Bin Laden!"

Melissa was growing upset, but her tone remained calm. She knew from her social work job that raising her voice only escalated a situation. It wasn't worth it.. "I'm not naive. And actually, Bin Laden was in Pakistan for years. And as far as I remember, we never invaded Pakistan to fight an insurgency." Ryan stared down at his empty plate. "Look, can we just change the subject? I didn't want to talk about this stuff anyway."

After a few moments, Ryan had calmed down. "You're right. Do you want to make it an early night?"

Melissa giggled nervously. "Are you serious? Was this really that bad?"

Ryan was replaying the events of the evening in his mind. "I don't know, Mel. The whole night has had this weird kind of vibe to it. Maybe..."

Melissa was honestly confused. She thought they were having a great time up until that point. "Maybe what?" Melissa asked leaning forward hoping her physicality would coax the answer out sooner.

He rubbed his chin with his thumb and pointer. "Maybe we're just meant to be friends," Ryan said.


	21. Surprise

Melissa pulled in to the parking lot of the Amway Center for Smackdown's Tuesday night taping. Ben had called her Monday night at the tail end of her date with Ryan to request that she drive to Orlando and work backstage doing the costumes. Terri never requested to take time off for personal reasons, so corporate granted her the week off and put Melissa in her place. Melissa viewed this as good news and was up for the challenge.

Given her awkward date with Ryan and recent break up with Stu, she would have much rather preferred to be working for Raw, but this would be a good test. She could start to put this all behind her.

"Good afternoon. I'm Melissa Anderson. Costumes," she addressed the parking attendant. He nodded slightly and she made her way around the WWE trucks to find a parking space. She was rummaging in her trunk trying to find her bags when a set of hands covered her eyes.

"And just what do you think you're doing here?" She could recognize that English dialect anywhere. She turned to see Stu Bennett standing before her dressed to the nines in a light blue shirt and black suit.

"I'm in for Terri tonight. She's taking some time off," they both smiled slightly. This was the first contact that they had with each other since she broke up with him. "How are you?"

Stu moved his head from side to side in thought. He wanted to tell her that things were great, but they weren't. He was missing her something awful. He could still smell her scent on his bed sheets. He missed her cooking and the way she always rested her hand on his chest when she cuddled against him. "I miss you, Mel," he said softly. She took a deep breath. This already wasn't going to go well. "Do you think we could talk soon?"

She looked down at her feet and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I don't know, Stu, I really just want to try to get through tonight first," she said. She could see the pained look on his face. He had really gone out on a limb by approaching her. What was she so afraid of at this point? They had already aired all of their dirty laundry.

"Well, in that case. Can I help you with any of your bags?" He was already carrying a few of his own.

"No, thanks," she said shutting her trunk. "I can take care of them." She was forgetting that they were going to walk in together. "So, what have you been doing since you got back?"

"Well, I punched Tim out on Raw last night," he started.

Melissa couldn't help but laugh. Tim obviously deserved this. "No way! Are you serious? Was he pissed?"

"Unfortunately, no. I really wanted him to be upset. He said he felt like he deserved it though," Stu was laughing now too. "Otherwise, nothing really special. Just the usual. Catching up on this and that, you know?"

"Yeah, me too," she offered. "Just been hanging out." They were standing at the threshold of the backstage area. Melissa needed to go and begin to set up. "Well, I guess I'll see you around then. Come to me if anything rips."

Stu smiled down at her. He still had the same gorgeous smile and glistening green eyes. Melissa was feeling her knees go weak at the sight of him. "Very well, then. Best of luck flying solo this evening, love."

Melissa stood still for a moment and watched him walk away. "Boo!" Melissa jumped a mile and turned to see Ryan. "Holy shit!" she yelled. "Why does everyone think it's a good idea to sneak up on me today?" Ryan laughed. She hit him in the arm. "And besides. What the hell was last night about?"

"Yeah, I kinda figured you'd want to talk about that," he said.

"Of course I would! One minute you're wrapping scarfs around my neck and sending me flowers and then you're picking meaningless fights with over dinner," she said. "What gives?"

"It wasn't meaningless, Mel. Those things are really important to me," he said.

She wasn't buying it. "What's the real issue?" A slight smile crept across her face. She knew if she turned on the charm, he would open up to her.

"I don't think you're over Stu," he said.

Melissa failed to see where Ryan was coming from. "And you got that based on my political beliefs?"

"No," he emphasized. "Your whole demeanor changed when I asked you how you were doing."

"Well, obviously it's been rough on me. So you picked a meaningless fight to protect yourself. Look, it's been less than a week since Stu and I broke up."

"I know that. I don't want to be your rebound," he said. "So, when you're ready," he stopped himself. "If you're ever ready, let me know. But let me ask this, do you still have feelings for him?" Melissa bit her lower lip. "Looks like I have my answer." He turned and walked back towards the dressing room.

"Ryan! Wait!" she called after him.  
>"What was all that about?" a voice said to her from behind.<p>

"Jesus Christ! What is with everyone today?" Tim and his black eye were staring down at Melissa when she turned around. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. Stu had really laid in to Tim. She knew it was intentional.

Tim put his hands up in protest. "Before you say anything, I deserved it," he said.

Melissa shook his head at Tim's new found serenity. "Why are you being a martyr? You were a dick so you got knocked out. End of story. I know what happened." She pressed the tips of her pointer fingers in to her temple. "Please tell me you have a costume problem."

"Nope. Stu said you were here tonight and I wanted to find out how your date went."

Melissa stuck her finger in his face. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

Tim pointed to his black eye. "I think I've learned my lesson."

"Weird. It was weird. Everything was going great until he brought up politics and then it just fell apart instantly. He said we were better as friends, we drove home in silence and I walked myself in."

"Mmhmm," Tim licked his dry lips and nodded his head. "Sounds like he doesn't think you're over Stu yet." Melissa furrowed her brow. When did men start thinking the same or have a pattern of behavior centered on relationships. "Well, are you?"

"Am I what?" she asked, the confused look still plastered on her face.

"Over Stu?"

She rubbed her hands over her face. "No, I'm not over Stu," she said deliberately.

"Yet," Tim added. "You're not over him, _yet. _Right?"

"Yeah, right..." she trailed off.

"Anyway, you'll do the right thing or whatever is in your heart. Blah blah blah," Tim said. "I have to get ready for NXT."

Melissa bent down to pick up her luggage and get set up for the evening. She hadn't expected this onslaught of emotional baggage to hit her before she even settled in.

"Mel? Is that you?" She turned to see the American Dragon Bryan Danielson walking towards her carrying his ring jacket. Finally, someone announced themselves in her line of sight. "It's great to see you!"

Melissa smiled. Danielson had a very loving and warm personality. "It's good to see you too."

"So, will you be joining us on the road from now on then?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm just covering for Terri tonight," she said.

"Awesome. Could I ask you for a favor?" he continued before she could respond. "The elastic in the cuffs of my jacket are loose. Is that something you can fix easily?"

Melissa looked over the stitching. "Easy peasy," she said. "I can do it right now." She unzipped the small pouch in her bag and pulled out her seam ripper. She began to gently pick away at the seam encasing the elastic. "You don't have to stay. Unless you want to hang out for a bit."

"I should actually start to get warmed up. Ignacio and I are tag teaming against Ted and Cody tonight," he said.

"That'll be a great match. This should be done in about a half hour or so, unless something else walks through the door," she said.

He flashed a smile at her. "Awesome. Thanks, Mel. You're the best."

Melissa pulled out a stitch and spoke quietly to herself. "He loves me." She glanced around her room and realized she was completely alone. She pulled out another stitch. "He loves me not." She chanted this until she reached the end of the cuff. "He loves me."

* * *

><p>Thanks for all the great reviews for that last chapter. I hope this helps to clear up Ryan's behavior a little bit :) As always, all feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks to all my loyal readers. You're making writing this story so much fun!<p> 


	22. Staying Out of It

Tonight was the season finale of NXT. Tim, who turned face after his knock out by Stu, was still in first place followed by Heath's rookie Hector, and Rick, who was being coached by the members of the former Hart Dynasty. It was highly uncommon to have three faces vying for the top spot on NXT, but all the pros and rookies had been professional enough to build up interest and invest the audience in their story lines. The only match taking place as part of the finale had the three men facing each other in a triple threat match. The man who was pinned, regardless of where they stood on the leader board, would be automatically disqualified from the competition.

Tim was booked to lose.

However, it was all part of a bigger picture, as her Pro would say. Stu would end up costing Tim the match. Later that evening on Smackdown, Tim would interfere in Stu's match against Big Show, costing him the #1 contenders spot for the World Heavyweight Championship. This would begin a feud that would last for a few months on Smackdown culminating with a "Loser Leaves Smackdown" match. Both men were very excited about this new angle and it was a great way to introduce Wade Barrett to the world of singles competition.

"I've never been this excited to lose something before," Tim said excitedly as he waited in gorilla.

Stu chuckled. "I've never been this excited to attack someone before. The three of you are going to put on one hell of a match. Did you and Rick work out the details with Hector?"

"For the most part. I know we're going to do our best tonight. We all plan to try out both our submission and finishing moves. Near falls are what get the crowd on their feet." Tim took a deep breath before his next statement. "I just want you to know that I think you're a real good guy. And that I hope everything works out between you and Melissa." He noticed Stu's demeanor change. Tim put his hands up in defense. "I'm going to stay out of it."

"Well, right now actually would've been the perfect time for you to involve yourself." Stu had been trying to keep his mind off the fact that the woman he was trying to win back was right down the hallway. He took a deep breath and attempted to push those thoughts out of his head, but his cattiness got the best of him. "You haven't spoken to her recently or anything, have you?"

"I just told you I'm staying out of this," Tim reiterated. He took a step back thinking that providing some distance between him and Stu would help him to keep his mouth shut. He sighed. "Look, I don't know much, but I know she is trying to figure things out. She doesn't know what she wants. For the first time in her life, men are generally interested in her. It's tough for her to grasp," he said.

Stu's furrowed his brow. "Men? Like who?"

"You're missing the point. And I told you. I'm not getting involved," Tim stated the last part slowly hoping that it would sink in. "I'm about go out there for the most important match of my life so far. I'd appreciate a little support from my Pro."

Stu nodded. To say anything at that moment would be embarrassing. Wade Barrett's music hit as Tim made his way down to the ring only to be jumped from behind by Wade. Once the referees pushed Wade away and helped Tim to the ring, the match began. Wade sat at the announcers table offering commentary along side fellow Brit William Regal.

Tim lay on the mat being kicked by both Rick and Hector. The two men had decided to work together to eliminate Tim so as to not be eliminated themselves. Hector pushed Tim in to a simple roll up. The ref's hand slammed down on the mat three times and just like that, Tim was eliminated in the biggest upset NXT had ever seen all because of Wade Barrett. Tim rolled out of the ring towards Wade. The cocky Englishman stood upright and got right in Tim's face. Tim went to push Barrett, but Barrett pushed first sending Tim flying in to the set of steel steps that lay in the corner of the ring. Wade stood above Tim smiling and gloating for a few moments before casually walking back to the locker room. Once back there, Stu didn't wait for Tim, he ran to find Melissa to see if she had seen the events that just unfolded.

* * *

><p>Melissa was running one of the sleeves of Layla's new outfit through her sewing machine when the fabric knocked her open bottle of water on the floor. "Shit!" she exclaimed to no one. Looking around for something to wipe up the mess, she removed her cardigan and placed it on the ground gently pressing the fabric down to soak up the liquid. She sat back on her knees and brushed her bangs out of her face. She looked up to see a roll of paper towels staring her in the face. Melissa always made things about ten times harder than they needed to be. She let out an exasperated sigh and started laughing at herself.<p>

"Everything okay in here?" Stu asked.

"Yes," she said without even turning around to see him. Stu shut the door and walked over to her extending his arm out to help her up. She gladly accepted his gesture and let him pull her up to her feet. Unfortunately due to her clumsiness she lost her balance and fell in to Stu's arms. The two locked eyes for what seemed like hours until Melissa broke away from his embrace. "Don't you have a match to get ready for?" She twisted the cap back on to her water bottle hoping to avoid making the same mistake.

"I just finished my NXT angle with Tim," he said. "You didn't happen to catch any of it, did you?"

Melissa sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I've been back here working on Layla's costume. I'll be able to watch it online later. I promise."

Stu looked down at the fabric pulled half way under the presser foot of the sewing machine. "Is this it?" Melissa nodded. Stu picked the sleeve up, being careful not to pull, and ran the fabric through his fingers. "Very cool, Mel."

"Thanks," she said. "I can't wait for her to kick ass in it." Stu laughed. "Is there something I can help you with?" Her tone had changed almost instantly. Melissa refused to let herself get caught back up in Stu.

"I wanted to tell you that I put an offer down on a house," he said. Stu was excited to share this information.

Melissa was finding it hard to hide her confusion. "Congratulations. That's great news," she said. She was also beginning to get frustrated by his presence. He was obviously there to just spend a few moments with her.

"I'd love for you to see it," he continued. "Are you free tomorrow?"

She knew exactly what he was doing. "I'm at FCW tomorrow, but..."

"Maybe during lunch?" he interrupted. Melissa nodded. She had no real reason to deny his invitation. "Perfect. Why don't I pick you up around 12:30 and we'll go grab some lunch?" he offered. He had her exactly where he wanted her. A friendly offer was extended and he got her to admit that she did not have any plans. There was no way she could say 'no.'

"Sure," she said shrugging. She knew that she could not keep avoiding him.

Stu smiled at her acceptance. "It's a date," he said heading towards the door.

"No," Melissa drew out the vowels. "It's you showing me your house."

"Either way, love." he said as he exited out the door.

Melissa sat down in front of her sewing machine and pressed her hand to her chest feeling the deep breath she was taking. The way he called her "love" always made her knees go weak. No man she had ever dated came up with an adorable and affectionate nickname for her. Not only were her knees weak, but she felt as though she was weak too. After her break up with Tim she had promised herself that she wouldn't involve herself with men that walked all over her or took advantage of her. Sitting there she realized that the reason that she was going out of her way to avoid Stu Bennett was because he truly cared for her. Any man that ever really cared for her she pushed away thinking there was something wrong with them. But she knew deep down inside that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Stu Bennett. Their relationship was just a victim of previous circumstances that were out of both of their control.

* * *

><p>The drive home to Tampa from Orlando had been more eventful than her solo ride out. Bryan Danielson had booked a flight for that evening to return home to Las Vegas. He had been growing road weary and was eager to get home. His ride had opted to spend the night in Orlando and take a flight in the morning.<p>

"I appreciate the lift, Mel."

"No worries. I think we're going to make it just in time for you to catch your flight." She was grateful for the company.

"Did you find out about tonight last minute?"

Melissa found his question strangely curious. "No, why?"

"Well, I was just wondering why you didn't ride out with Stu."

The question threw Melissa for a loop. She had expected everyone to know her business backstage. "Oh, uh, we broke up in England," she said quietly. As the words came out, she was thinking of not saying anything at all for fear it may hurt Stu in some capacity. He always said that he didn't like people knowing his business.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Bryan said sympathetically. He looked out the car window to avoid making awkward eye contact. "I had no idea."

Melissa laughed at Bryan's lack of awareness. "I thought everyone knew. Seems like everyone knows everything about everyone there."

"You'd be surprised, actually," he began. "I try to stay out of most people's business. The guys that are married and in relationships are pretty guarded. There are guys that live for the WWE and the privelege of performing, but that's not what they're all about. Just seems that way because we are our jobs. Whereas someone like you isn't. Costuming is what you do, but wrestling is who we are," he said.

"You're very poetic. Have you been rehearsing that?" she said laughing.

"I'm serious, Mel. And, you know," he was growing uncomfortable. "Guys also make mistakes while on the road sometimes. Everyone is human." Melissa shot him a look. "Did Stu cheat on you?"

"I thought you said you stayed out of people's business," she snapped back.

Bryan laughed. "Like I said, we're all human. But that is the reason why most relationships on the road end."

"No, he didn't cheat on me. That I know of, at least."

"Right. Well, Stu is and always has been one of the most respected men there. And I know for a fact he prides himself on that. He wouldn't never do anything to jeopardize that. While the other guys in the Nexus were out chasing chicks and partying hard, he was sleeping or skyping his family back home."

Melissa was now curious. "What do you know about Karen?"

Bryan laughed again. "Oh, so this is okay, now?" Melissa smiled and nodded. "He was devastated when she dumped him. He didn't know what to do. He definitely didn't want to bring anyone else in to this type of relationship. The last thing he wants is someone thinking he is something he is not and that's what Karen did. She was constantly accusing him of cheating on her." Bryan picked up his phone to text back his girlfriend. "I'm glad that they broke up when they did though. He wouldn't have had his head in that whole Nexus angle if he was constantly worried about her."

"I'm afraid of that." Melissa said softly.

"Afraid of what?" Bryan asked as his finger ran over the touch pad of his phone.

"Ruining this for him," she said. "I don't want to be the reason why he loses his job or is reprimanded."

"Is that why you broke up with him?"

"That and a few other reasons. Please don't tell anyone we talked about this." She took a deep breath before speaking. This conversation was making her anxious, but something told her that Bryan was one of the first people she could honestly trust in the WWE. "He punched out Tim the other night."

"Yeah. That was a great angle..."

"Intentionally." Bryan looked up at her from his phone. "Tim and I used to date before I moved down here. And by date, I mean that he had a girlfriend and we were seeing each other. It was stupid."

"Was Stu jealous?"

"Yes, and then no. It's been strange. I wasn't honest with him." Melissa was starting to realize that the demise of their relationship had been completely avoidable and mostly her fault. Bryan just stared at her, watching her as she worked through her own words. "Maybe it's time to end this break."

* * *

><p><strong>Wow! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, everyone! I promise more action in the next chapter :) As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Tried to add a little more Daniel Bryan for you American Dragon lovers out there. This story has been so much fun to write because of you guys. Thanks for supporting me!<strong>


	23. Entertaining

The drive home from Orlando last night had exhausted Melissa. From the moment she opened her eyes it had been a struggle to keep them open. She had already sucked down one iced coffee and was about to venture across the street for another when Ryan ran in to her office.

"I was hoping I'd find you here." Per usual, Ryan was completely energetic. He moved as though he was constantly trying to keep his heart rate up, even when he was standing in place. "Whoa, you look like you got hit by a truck." Melissa responded by rubbing her eyes. Ryan looked at the sketches on her desk. "What are these?"

"Oh, just some more outfits for Layla. I'm going to send this to Terri so she can give it to Layla on Tuesday and show her these drawings."

"So, you're not going to be at the next taping?" he asked.

"Not as far as I know. And after how I feel this morning, maybe it's a good idea that I just stay planted at FCW for a little while." She picked up her empty cup and tried to syphon out some caffeine, but just ended up twirling the straw around the ice. Ryan laughed watching her. "Do you know they don't keep coffee around this place?" she asked seriously. "Anyway, so yeah, I finished her outfit so I am going to send that out and these drawings." Melissa walked around her desk and stood next to Ryan as he looked over her drawings. "That one is for AJ, actually," she said smiling. "Thats a personal favorite of mine. I hope she likes it."

"Goddamn, Mel, these are great," Ryan placed his hand on her back and ran his hand down the curve of her spine. She tensed at his touched and he backed off a bit. She took a step backward and looked towards the ground. "Sorry, is uh, everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Sorry," her laughter was nervous. "I'm just a bit jumpy today with all this coffee."

"It's ok, kid. No worries." They looked at each other for a few moments in awkward silence. "I'm going to go begin my work out. I'll see you later." She smiled and nodded. "Those are great. Let me know what the girls have to say."

Melissa compiled her drawings together and placed them in a box along with Layla's outfit. Melissa ran her hands along the fabric and checked the stitching one last time before closing the box and sealing it up. She had never been more proud of anything she had worked on before.

After a quick stop at the post office, Melissa returned to FCW to wait for Stu to pick her up for lunch. She had procured another iced coffee and was chewing on the straw checking her email when the Englishman sauntered in.

"Hello, love," he said. "Are you ready for our lunch date?"

"I'm almost ready to have lunch with you, yes." She purposely omitted "date" from her sentence. She had to give Stu points for trying though. "I just need to finish going over these last few emails. Take a seat." She gestured towards the chair that was slightly hidden behind her office door.

"Are you in the mood for anything in particular?" he asked. Stu knew everything had to be perfect. She shook her head, her eyes transfixed on the laptop screen as her left hand massaged her chin in her hands. "Sushi? Burrito?" He was looking for some response, some sign of life from her.

"Huh? Yeah, that's fine," she said not looking up from her desk. "I mean, whatever is near your house is good."

"You look like a zombie today," he asked smiling at her. He had never seen her so tired.

"Yeah," she leaned back in her chair. "I'm exhausted after all that driving last night. I don't know how you guys do it," she stood up from her desk and stretched. "Ready to go?"

Stu smiled at her and escorted her out of the building. She chewed nervously on the straw of her iced coffee being careful not to make eye contact with Ryan. Even though it didn't matter what he thought of her relationship with Stu, she didn't want to draw any attention to it.

"So, where is your new place?" she asked as she fastened her seat belt.

"Well, I guess you can say that now. My offer was accepted this morning. It's still in Tampa. Northwest side though."

Melissa smiled as she spoke to appear more excited. "How lovely."

Stu rolled his eyes. "You're not being yourself today."

Melissa looked out the window as she contemplated her thoughts. She was terrified being in Stu's presence in that moment. She wasn't afraid of him, she was afraid of them. Part of her wanted everything to go right between them at lunch, but part of her wanted to sabotage it. He was a good person and she didn't deserve him. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. "This is just really hard for me." She turned to face the Englishman. He took his eyes off the road briefly to look at her so he could take note of her expression in that moment. She looked really sad and lost to him.

He placed his hand on her leg and rubbed her knee. "It doesn't have to be," he said. She placed her hand on top of his.

The rest of the ride out to Stu's newly acquired property had been done in silence. Even though Melissa had only lived in Tampa a short time, she was familiar with this neighborhood. Stu pulled in to his driveway. The yard needed a little TLC, but the house itself was gorgeous. It was a fairly modern, two story home; light gray with a white door. Stu ran a few feet ahead and turned to face Melissa, opening his arms out to her. "Well? What do you think?" She had never seen his smile so grand.

Melissa smiled in return. "I think it's awesome and I am so proud of you," she said walking towards him.

He grabbed her hand. "Let me show you the rest of the house." He took the key out from under the fake rock by the shrub at the door. "The owners moved out a few months ago. It sat for a while because it's a fairly large house for the area, not many people around here could afford it. I got a really good deal. Inspection is next week," He opened the door and motioned for her to enter. The entry way was very open. Melissa was impressed with how large and open the space was inside. A staircase was a little off to the left, but to the far left was the dining room. She could tell by the table and chairs that the previous owners had left their dining room for the new owner. "This will be great for entertaining," he said.

Melissa chuckled. "Only you don't cook and you're never home." She placed her purse down on the table.

"You cook though," he said.

"Stu, you're crazy. I'm not going to come over here and cater your affairs."

"I'm not asking you to do that, love," he said. "I want you to move in here with me." He put his hands out in front of him sensing her reaction. "Eventually."

Melissa bit her lip in thought. She decided not to address his comment. "You should show me the rest of the house."

"So...aren't you going to say something?"

"I did say something. Just not what you want to hear." There was a bit of anger in her voice. She didn't want any more surprises.

"I did say 'eventually,' Mel. It doesn't have to be right now." She nodded. "With that being said though, let me show you where you'll be preparing my meals." That elicited a fairly hearty laugh from Melissa. She was so tired. They walked through the dining room over to the swinging kitchen door. The kitchen was gorgeous. Granite counter tops ran along the wall with a kitchen island towards the center of the space. All the appliances and cabinets were new and modern, like the rest of the house. Melissa ran her fingers over the granite.

"Swanky," she said. "This is really perfect for you." She looked out the window above the kitchen sink. "And you have a pool too!"

He nodded. "Yup! And a fantastic back deck. Again, great for entertaining." Stu walked Melissa through the rest of the ground floor showing her the living room, sitting room, laundry room and half bath. "Let's head upstairs," he said as he placed his hand on her lower back and guided her towards the stairs case. Upstairs there were four bedrooms including one master bed room.

"Let me guess," Melissa said as she pointed to each room as they headed towards the master suite. "Game room, office, gym?"

Stu laughed. "Close. Game room, office, sewing room. I still like going out to the gym." He winked at her. "Of course, I'm open to changing the rooms around a bit." He pointed to the room he labeled as the game room. "That could be the sewing room."

Melissa sighed. "You're trying really hard," she said.

"I know." He flashed his smile at her. "Okay, so the master bed room," The bedroom had two doors that opened up to review a huge space. The room was easily half the the size of the top floor. To the right was a screen door leading out to a balcony and to the left was a huge walk in closet and also a bathroom. "This is best part,"

Melissa's jaw had dropped. "This is amazing. I'm pretty sure this whole room is the size of your apartment now."

"I'm going to get a king size bed now so I don't have to sleep diagonal anymore." He lay down on the plush carpeted floor to showcase his size. "It really won't take up much room."

"Dream big," she said raising her eyebrows.

Stu ran his fingers back through his hair and sat up. "I was serious though, Mel. I want you to live here with me. I want us to live here together." She nodded like she understood, but his words had paralyzed her. Never had someone in her life been so desperate to keep her a part of theirs. She walked over and lay down next to him, turning her back towards him. Stu knew what she wanted. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. He dipped his nose in to her scalp and smelled her hair. The sweetness of her shampoo penetrating his nostrils. Without thinking, he softly kissed the top of her head and he felt her relax inside his embrace. Stu dragged his hand back across her stomach and rested it on the hip that was facing up. He gently rolled her back over towards him. She stared up at him, his eyes were staring back at her, clouded with lust. Stu didn't want to be presumptuous. He wanted to wait for her to make the first move.

Melissa placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down towards her. Her lips gently pressed against his at first. Stu's lip parted slightly and Melissa forced her tongue in to his mouth. He rested his hands on either side of her to help keep his balance as he crawled on top of her. He would take this as far as he could until she stopped him. Melissa reached her hands under his shirt and ran her hands up his torso. He smiled at her touch.

"What?" she said smiling back at him.

"This just feels right, doesn't it?" He lowered his face to the crook of her neck and bit in to her sweet spot. She shuddered in response, eliciting a soft moan that provided Stu with her answer. He kissed down to the top of her shirt, undoing the buttons one at a time as he kissed his way down to her breasts. She moaned softly as he kissed just above the curved fabric housing her breasts as his hand cupped the sides. She rolled them so that she was now on top. She removed her shirt and her bra in a matter of seconds. Stu's reached his hands up and kneaded her breasts in his hands, pinching her nipples. Melissa threw her head back in pleasure as she awaited for his mouth to descend on to the most sensitive part of her chest.

Melissa could feel Stu's member straining against his jeans. She reached her hands down and unzipped his pants, providing him with a little relief. He hadn't expected her to go this far, this soon. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

His question made her snap back in to reality and she began to question herself. She nodded slightly. "Yeah, I think so," she replied meekly.

Sitting up, Stu pulled his shirt up over his head. He placed the shirt down on the carpet, his large hands spreading out the creases of the fabric. "Lay down, love," he softly asked of her. Melissa lay down on top of the t-shirt. Sitting at her feet, his hands massaged from her toes up her thighs, settling on the zipper of her pants. He smirked at her as his fingers worked the button and zipper to her jeans. She lifted her hips to help him in guiding the garments off of her body.

Stu stared down at her naked body. He began to apply gentle kisses to Melissa's stomach, trailing down to her womanhood. She opened herself up to him automatically, without question. Stu's tongue moved in small circles through her folds prompting soft moans from his lover. Unlike their previous encounters, Melissa's hands weren't entangled in Stu's hair but rather dangling at her sides, not touching him at all. Stu looked up at her and saw that she was concentrating on the ceiling with her eyes open - perhaps hoping that this would end at any moment. He pulled away from her and she didn't flinch. "Maybe this was too soon," he said as he perched himself up on his hands.

"Huh?" She looked down at him. Despite her comment, her voice didn't sound confused.

"Mel, don't just do this for me, okay?"

She sighed loudly and pressed her hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry. I thought I was ready. This just...happened really fast."

"Come here," he said, pulling her up with his hand. "We can try again some other time." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's get you back to work"

"I'm sorry..." she stated again, a hint of sadness behind her words. In that moment, she did really want to be with Stu, but she was feeling really anxious thinking about their future together. "Let's go grab some lunch." That was the best peace offering she had.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for being so patient! And thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I don't think it's quite set in stone yet for Stu and Melissa, but we'll see. As always, I love the feedback that you guys give me and I look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!<strong>


	24. Unpacking

The following week's Smackdown taping took place in Charlotte, NC. Melissa's attendance was not requested as Terri was back to work in the wardrobe department. Terri had received Melissa's package a few days prior and was impressed with the quality and design of Layla's outfit. Terri was also impressed by Melissa's sketches and could not wait to share them with AJ.

"I love the direction that this takes my character in," AJ stated admiring the drawings. "It'll keep my character fun, but people will probably take me a little more seriously as a competitor. I love them! Thank you so much!" AJ started jumping up and down with excitement thinking about it.

"Of course. The idea just came to me one night," Terri stated.

"One thing. Instead of pink, can we do green? I don't want to look too much like Natalya, you know?" AJ was afraid of offending Terri.

Terri smiled and shrugged her shoulders playfully. "Makes sense to me. I'll get started on this right away for you."

"This is so awesome. Thanks so much, Terri!," AJ gushed. She wrapped her thin arms around Terri and pulled her in for a hug. This affection AJ was sharing made Terri incredibly uncomfortable. She was never one to show affection of any type and preferred that her physical encounters with me be as stand-offish as possible. AJ left the backstage costume room skipping towards her next destination.

Ryan sauntered in, a leather vest in his hand. "Hey, Ter, do you have like 5 minutes for a quick repair?"

Terri grabbed the vest from Ryan's hands and looked over the damage. "Of course. Shotty work done by Melissa, I see." An wry laugh escaped Terri's lips.

Ryan sighed and rolled his eyes. It had become obvious how painfully jealous Terri had become of Melissa. "No, it got caught on the zipper of my luggage. Can you fix it or not?"

"Okay, okay," Terri attempted to calm him down. "I'm just joking around."

Ryan ignored her false apology. "Speaking of, how did Layla like her costume?"

Terri waved her hands at the box on her desk and spoke quickly. "Oh, it's still in the box I haven't given it to her yet." Terri sat down at the machine and switched out the needle for one that could handle thicker fabric.

"And why is that? I just saw her go in the locker room," Ryan stated.

"Really? Okay, I'll make sure she gets it," Terri stated, avoiding eye contact.

"Did you at least show AJ the drawing that Mel did?" Ryan aggressively gestured with his hands hoping that it would get Terri's attention.

"Hmm?"

"The drawing? For AJ? That Mel did?" Ryan used his hands to again emphasize his statements.

"Oh, that drawing. Yeah," Terri stated nonchalantly.

"And? Did she love it?" Ryan felt like he was prying for information that should be easy to obtain.

Terri sat back and looked at Ryan. "She did. And I am going to start work on it today."

Ryan furrowed his brows. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me. I'm going to make AJ's costume," Terri stated, a sly smirk lay across her face.

"You can't do that to Mel, Terri. Come on. She's going to find out," Ryan pleaded.

"And who will believe her? She's at FCW. I'll say the package was lost in the mail. Layla never got her costume and AJ's outfit was my idea," she stated.

"She can track the package, Terri. And besides, I'm going to tell her what you're doing," Ryan said, seeing the obvious flaws in her plan.

"You do that and I'll tell Stu what really happened between you two. He won't believe a thing she says after that and he'll hate you for preying on his lovely little girlfriend," Terri threatened.

The veins in Ryan's neck started to protrude with anger. He made sure to emphasize each word. "Nothing. Happened. Terri," he seethed. "And I can't believe that you would do that to her. You don't need to do this."

"You're right. I don't. But I'm going to anyway," Terri said licking her lips.

Ryan reached in to the pocket of his jeans to retrieve his vibrating cell phone. Melissa's name sprawled across the caller ID. Ryan sighed and slid the answer button on the call screen. "Hey, Mel. Whats up?" Terri watched Ryan intently hoping to prevent him from telling Melissa about the drawings and Layla's costume. "No, nothing yet. I haven't seen her yet to be honest. Just got to the arena myself. Yeah, I'll let you know. I know you're excited." Ryan was having a hard time sounding excited himself. "I'll talk to you later. Bye." He bit his lip and looked at the ground.

"Thanks, Ry." She placed her hand over her heart. "This means a lot to me."

* * *

><p>Melissa had agreed to help Stu with packing up his apartment while he was on the road. Thankfully there was not too much to pack. She didn't have too much to do in the evening while the boys were on the road. She could've called Catie, but she had her own friends she wanted to spend time with as well. With this abundance of free time, Melissa took it a step further.<p>

She walked to Stu's new fridge and took a beer from the six pack she purchased. She deserved it after assembling his bed. She had arranged for the movers to come on Monday. That gave her all of Tuesday to start unpacking and get his bed set up for him. She knew he would be exhausted when she picked him up at the airport Wednesday morning - he usually was. He was a terrible sleeper in general, but he was worse on the road.

Melissa kept looking at her phone waiting for a text from Stu, Ryan, Layla or even Terri about the costumes. She compulsively checked her email on her phone as well since she was unsure as to whether or not Layla or Terri even had her cell phone number, but there was no response. Anxiety began to creep up in to her chest. _What if she hates my costume? What if it was lost? What if it fell apart and everyone is scrambling backstage trying to fix it?_ The thoughts were becoming too much for her.

* * *

><p>"Great match tonight with Bryan, man," Stu complimented Ryan. He could tell it had been difficult for Ryan to get back in the rotation after having spent so much time away. Ryan was eager to prove himself, but it would take some time. Despite saying he felt 100%, he didn't really feel exactly 100%.<p>

"Thanks. I felt good about it. Bryan can make anyone look good, you know?" Ryan dismissed. He was trying hard not to let the situation between Melissa and Terri take over his thoughts, but it was all he could think about. He knew Melissa would be devastated when she found out what was going on. He also realized that she would be bullshit at him for having let it happen. Ryan had no idea how much time he had before she found out.

"Do you want to go out and grab a beer before heading back to the hotel? There is this place we have been to a few times just outside of the city that the fans don't know about." Stu suggested.

Ryan nodded. He knew that Stu was trying to be friendly and make up for lost time. Ryan tried his hardest not to resent Stu. Melissa was still trying to figure her feelings out, but he realized that Terri's plan destroyed any hope of them being together.

* * *

><p>Stu walked towards Melissa's car dragging his luggage behind. "Well, hello, gorgeous," he said as he opened the passenger side door and climbed in. "You're blushing. I've missed that." A smile crept on his face as he leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek.<p>

"How were the shows?" Melissa was trying to be coy and hide her surprise, but he would start asking questions the minute she merged on to the northbound highway instead of southbound.

"The shows were good. Tim and I are really building up this program they have us working. It's proving to be very fun. How was your weekend?"

"Good. Pretty low key," she said as she merged north.

"Mel, did you forget where I live?" he asked, a slight laugh escaping his lips.

"Huh? No, I'm sorry. I just need to run a quick errand before I drop you off. I hope you don't mind," she said. She was hoping her worried facial expression was helping her preserve her secret.

"No, I suppose, but I am feeling a little tired. Do you mind if I close my eyes?"

"Not at all. It'll be quick. I promise." She knew that Stu was trying to be more than accommodating with her to help build up their relationship. Thankfully, it was a short drive to his new home from the airport.

She pulled in to his driveway just as he had begun to snore. Catie had helped her bring his car over to the house last night so all his belongings would be in one place and he could relax. Melissa leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Stu's lips; his eyes fluttered open at the touch.

"Welcome home," Melissa said through her grin.

"You moved me in?" Stu asked. Melissa nodded. "You're very good at keeping secrets, missy."

Melissa laughed. "No, I'm not! This explains why I didn't call you all weekend. I totally would've said something!" Stu laughed in return at how adorable she was being. This is who he loved. The thoughtful, adorable, humble girl who had fitted him for shorts on her first day at FCW. "Come on!" she said getting out of the car. She went to the back of the car and opened the trunk.

"Don't worry about that now, love," he said. "Let's head inside. I can grab that stuff later." Stu grabbed Melissa's hand and led her in to his home. At first glance, he was happy with how she had set things up. The couch was where he would've put it, as was the kitchen table. "Very nice," he said as he surveyed his new space. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Let's see how well you did with the bedroom," he added with a wink. He guided Melissa up the stairs with his hand on the small of her back. "Hang on for a second there." She turned to face him; they were eye level with each other. Stu sensed her tension and moved his hand up to her shoulders, massaging the muscles in his strong hands. "Thank you so much for this." He leaned down and engaged her in a passionate kiss, her lips parting at the contact, his tongue fighting for supremacy with hers. His arms moved from her shoulders to back around her waist, pulling their chests together. Melissa could feel the warmth begin to emanate between her legs as Stu dragged his tongue across the sensitive flesh on her neck. She shuddered in response.

She pulled away from him to speak. "Don't you want to see the bedroom?" Without a word, Stu lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He charged at the double doors leading to his newly furnished, large master suite. Melissa giggled as Stu lay her down on the bed and stopped to briefly look around.

"Good, there is a bed in here," he said laughing.

"I unpacked your clothes too," she sat up off the bed and went to move towards the closet.

"No time for that now," he replied as he gently pushed her back down on the bed and removed his shirt. Melissa sat up and began to undo his belt buckle, button, and zipper. She pushed the thin grey fabric of his trousers to the ground. She loved that they had to get dressed up when they traveled, but she had to laugh at the boxers that were revealed.

"British flag boxers?" she said laughing. "How come I've never seen these before?"

He laughed. "They're a novelty. All my laundry was dirty! Besides, I can now say my flag has been raised," he said pointing towards his crotch.

"That's the worst joke ever," she said as she pulled them down quickly to reveal his beautiful cock. It was larger than she had remembered. Perhaps the lack of sex played a part in the turgidity of his member. Melissa reached under her skirt and pulled her underwear down, tossing them across the room. Stu, hoping to prevent a repeat of the first time they were in this room together, let Melissa make all the moves. "Make love to me, Stu," she said looking in to his eyes.

He would not deny her the privilege. He teased her slick opening with the head of his cock before pressing himself in to her slowly. She shuddered against him as he filled her completely, letting out a soft moan that echoed off the barren walls of his bed room.

"Is that okay?" he whispered against her lips as his nose rubbed with hers. She nodded as she bit her lower lip in pleasure. His thrusts became faster, more determined. She arched her back off the bed as Stu continued pounding in to her. He pinched her hard nipples through the thin fabric of her top before making his way down to cluster of nerves that desperately needed attention. He sat back as his thumb began rubbing her clit in time with his thrusts. He was completely lost in making her come first to think about anything else. Melissa screamed his name as her toes curled and the warm flush of her orgasm traveled up her body. Stu, thankful for her release, was ready for his own. He lay down on top of her, propping himself up on his fists, as he continued pumping himself deep inside of her. She stared up at him and whispered the words he had been longing to hear.

"I love you."

Stu threw his head back and moaned in response as his release took control of his body. He smiled as he lay down next to her and she draped her arm across his chest, just like she always did post coital. "I love you, too."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate your feedback. <strong>


	25. Selfish

"Thanks for the ride," Melissa asked, grinning from eat to ear. Out of the goodness of his heart, her boyfriend was dropping her off at work in his car since the air conditioning had stopped working in hers. He hadn't told her yet, but he would be having it fixed today as a thank you for moving him in to his new home while he was on the road.

"Of course. I'll pick you up after the live show tonight." Melissa leaned over and quickly kissed Stu on the cheek before jumping out of the car.

"So, that's back on?" Melissa looked up to see Tim standing by the entrance of Florida Championship Wrestling tying his sneaker.

"None of your business," she shot back at him as she brushed past him and entered the gym of the FCW training center. Afraid that Tim was going to give chase, she walked briskly to her office immediately turning on her computer to check her email. Still nothing from Layla or Terri. "What the fuck..." she murmured out loud to herself as she sat back in thought. She checked the tracking number on the FedEx website, it was delivered to Terri's house in time. Melissa picked up her phone and dialed Terri's number. It rang three times and went to voicemail. "Hey Terri, it's Melissa from FCW. I was wondering if you received that package I sent with Layla's costume and AJ's drawings. I tracked it through FedEx and it says it arrived. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't stolen off of your porch or anything. Please give me a call when you get this. I'm a little anxious over it. Thanks. Hope all is well." Melissa sighed outwardly. Ryan opened her office door. "You don't knock anymore do you?"

Ryan smiled. "Nope."

"What if I was naked or something?"

"Naked? In your office?" Ryan asked with a smirk. Melissa nodded. "Why do you think I just opened the door without knocking?" Melissa didn't laugh. "I'm just kidding, Mel." He could tell she was distracted.

"No, it's not that. I'm just confused I guess. You know the costume package I sent off to Terri?" Ryan nodded. "It was delivered, but I don't think she got it. I'm worried it was stolen off her porch or something like that." Ryan had to smile a little. Of course Melissa would draw that conclusion. She would never think anything bad about anyone. "Anyway, enough about my troubles. I'm sure it can be explained. What's going on with you?"

"I'm going to be signing autographs at the show tonight along with Heath." Ryan sat down in the chair in Melissa's office. He appeared nervous. "Mel, I have a question for you."

"Shoot," she said turning her attention over to Ryan.

"I saw you leave to have lunch with Stu yesterday. Are you guys back on?" Ryan knew her answer was 'yes,' but it gave him a reason to get mad at her and make her feel guilty. He was hoping that it would turn her attention away from him and he wouldn't need to be a part of the situation that was going to develop between her and Terri.

Melissa processed his question for a brief moment of time before answering. The slight nod her head provided Ryan with the answer that he needed, but she spoke anyway. "Yeah...," she trailed off.

"So, then, this," he pointed between the two of them. "This is never going to happen?"

"I gave you a chance and you shot me down," she said. "I really tried to give it a shot."

"Come on, Mel. You know that's not true." Ryan added. This was going to be hard for him to continue. It was breaking his heart. He cared about her too much to see her relationship with Stu ruined because of something Terri did. He didn't agree with her relationship with Stu, but it made her happy and that was what mattered. He stood up and made his way towards the door. "You're really selfish, you know that?"

"What are you talking about?" She was shocked at his accusation. No one had ever accused her of being selfish.

"I stood up for you. I listen to you and all that shit you went through with Stu," Ryan added.

"In the beginning I thought you were being there for me as my friend," she said choking back tears. "And then I started..."

"Of course you did, Mel, because you're in your own little world where no one else matters to you," Ryan said. "That's why I took you home that night." She turned her head away and wiped the tears away that were running down her cheeks. "Oh great," he said rolling his eyes. "Playing the victim. I'll see you around." He stormed out of her office, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Melissa spent the afternoon locked in the backstage arena setting up her supplies in case there was a tear or snag with someones outfit. Other than a possible wardrobe malfunction, she wasn't needed. Thankfully, she was able to hide backstage away from everyone. Away from Ryan and also from Tim, who had a tag match that night with Derrick Bateman against Eli Cottonwood and his old friend, Hector. She had spoken to Stu earlier in the evening and convinced him not to come to the show. He needed time off and also needed time away from wrestling. Melissa always had plenty of time alone to herself and she felt guilty that Stu never seemed to have any. Plus, he was excited about unpacking and wanted to start painting his spare rooms. She had placed three more calls to Terri and sent her a few text messages. She had yet to receive a reply. Despite that, everything seemed to be going well with the evening until Ryan and Heath walked by her backstage. He didn't even look at her or make eye contact, but Heath stopped to chat.<p>

"Mel! I forgot that you would be here! It's good to see you, how are you?" Heath asked. He was genuinely excited to see her having only seen her once in the past few weeks. Ryan had stopped walking a few feet away from them and waited patiently for Heath.

"I'm great. It's good to see you," she leaned in for a hug. "Ryan told me you guys are signing autographs tonight."

"Yeah. I don't know how Stu got out of it this time," he said laughing. "I'm glad you guys are back together. I'll get to see you more."

Melissa forced a weak smile and glanced over at Ryan. "Yeah, I'm glad too." There was a brief pause as neither had anything to say to each other. Melissa was desperate to end the conversation. " Well, I should get back to work. I hope you guys don't get attacked by any crazy fan girls," she said.

Heath chuckled. "Me too, Mel. Have a good one!"

* * *

><p>As expected, Stu arrived at 11:15pm to pick Melissa up and chose to wait for her outside. He wanted her car to be a surprise. She shot him a text to say she'd be a few minutes and he replied with saying he'd chat with Heath while waiting. After packing up her sewing supplies, she walked over to her dark office to drop them off when she heard a noise coming from the locker room. It sounded like someone punching a locker repeatedly. Slightly scared, Melissa walked in to the locker room to find Ryan standing there, a glint of sweat forming on his forehead.<p>

"Hi," she squeaked out. Startled, Ryan turned to her and didn't speak. She was nervous to continue the conversation given how he had treated her earlier. "Is everything ok?" Ryan looked down at the ground and didn't speak. Tim had been right. Melissa really had a hard time letting go of people who were awful to her. "I know that you..." she began chocking back her tears again. "Uh..hate me right now."

"I don't hate you," Ryan interrupted angrily.

Melissa nodded. "Okay, well. I think there is something else going on with you that maybe I..."

His eyes darted over to her. She was fidgeting and playing with the hem of her skirt in her hands. "There is nothing else going on with me," he shot back. His only line of defense against her was to stop her thoughts and comments with his own.

"Mel!" a voice called out from the front door of the gym. Stu had grown concerned over the amount of time she had been taking.

"In here!" she yelled back. She had been physically paralyzed by Ryan's behavior and unable to move. Ryan had begun emptying the contents of his locker in to his duffel bag. Melissa wanted to ask what he was doing, but she was fearful of the answer she would get.

Stu approached them. "Everything ok? I've been calling you." The Englishman turned to Ryan. "Hey."

"I'm sorry. I must've had my phone on silent," she responded. "I'm ready to go."

"You look exhausted, love. Let's get you home," Stu pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I have a few surprises for you." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and escorted her out the main entrance of FCW. He opened the drivers side door of her car. "Had your A/C fixed today." She turned the key in her ignition and her air conditioner came on full blast.

"You didn't have to do this," she said, feeling slightly guilty that he felt the need to reciprocate her good deed from the day before.

"It's what we do, Mel. We take care of each other," he said. "I'd love for you to stay the night tonight, if you're up for it."

"Of course. I'm always up for it," she said.

The conversation between them made the drive to Stu's home fly by rather quickly. She walked in to his home and saw a few more boxes than she expected.

"Things from storage?" she said fearful that was going to say what she already knew to be true: He had moved her in.

"No, just stuff I didn't get to yet," he said. "I did swing by your place today and pick up a few of your things though."

"You did?" she asked in frustrated disbelief.

"Yeah. Do you want a glass of water?" She sunk down on the couch as he brought her in a glass of water.

"You didn't listen to me," she said.

"I'm sorry. Did you say no to the water? I didn't hear your answer so I chose to bring you one in anyway," he responded.

She stood up and swung her purse over her shoulder. "No, I said I didn't want to move in with you yet," she said. "You didn't listen." She ran her hands through her hair as she paced back and forth in the sitting room. "I think I'm going to go home."

"Jesus Christ, Mel." Stu stood up and moved towards her. "I just went over there and packed an overnight bag for you. I didn't want you to have to wake up early and run home to get ready. What the hell's the matter with you?"

Everything was hitting Melissa at once. The fight with Ryan, the missing costume piece, the new home, and her admitted love for Stu. "I can't breathe," she whispered as she flailed her hands. Her breaths were quick and short. "I'm sorry," she said.

Her motions sent Stu into a panic of his own. He did his best to remain calm and speak to her in soft tones. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her more. "Shit, love, you're having an anxiety attack. Come here," Stu wrapped his arms around Melissa's waist and pulled her close to him. He stroked her hair and made shushing noises to help her calm down.

Melissa finally spoke when she regained her composure. "I'm so sorry I just acted like that." She grabbed the water and took a sip.

He brushed the hair from her face. "What is going on with you? You were acting weird when I picked you up tonight. And why was Ryan emptying his locker out?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe he doesn't need space at FCW anymore now that he's back on Smackdown with you guys." It was a bullshit excuse, she knew the real reason was that he didn't want to be around her. "I'm fine though. Really. I think I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm sorry I jumped down your throat."

"Hey, it's ok," he spoke softly. "If this is all too fast, just tell me. We can slow down. You can move in when you're good and ready, okay?" He felt her chest tighten up again against him. "Or not at all. I just want you to be honest with me about what you're thinking and feeling. I don't want you to hold it all in and freak out again on me, okay?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Okay."

"Now, I think we've both had enough excitement for one day. I'm painting the bedroom tomorrow so you only have one more night to enjoy it's bare white walls." He held out his hand and helped her off of the couch. Melissa really needed his warmth and protection at this moment. During a day when everyone around her seemed to be rejecting her, he was there for her. And she loved him for it.

* * *

><p><strong>AHHH! What do you guys think? Thanks for all the feedback on the last chapter. It was awesome and helpful. I'm interested in any and all thoughts you have. As always, thank you for reading my story. I appreciate it so much!<strong>


	26. Pool Party

"You wanna hear something funny?" Terri held her iphone up and played Melissa's latest message on speaker phone. _Hey Terri. It's Melissa again. It's been almost a week since I first left you a message. I hope everything is okay. Can you call me back, please? This is a little ridiculous._Terri turned off speaker phone, deleted the voice mail, and laughed. "It's been almost a week and the angriest that she gets is 'this is a little ridiculous.'"

Ryan folded his arms. "It's not funny. She's going to find out Friday when she watches Smackdown and sees AJ's costume," Ryan said.

Terri shrugged. "Well, you need to keep her busy then," Terri added.

"I can't prevent her from watching Smackdown. It's all over youtube. Besides, you forced me to end my friendship with her anyway," Ryan said.

"I only told you to keep your mouth shut. I didn't force you to do anything," Terri added.

Ryan threw his hands up in protest. "Whatever. I need to get out of here. Give me my shorts back," Ryan demanded.

"So hostile," Terri said with a sly smile as she handed over the shorts.

Ryan ripped them from her grasp and exited out the door where he almost ran directly in to Tim.

"I heard everything," Tim said sympathetically.

"Let it go. Please," Ryan said.

"You can't let her do this. Think of Mel. This could ruin her career!" Tim said.

"I am thinking of her," Ryan shot back. "If I say something, Terri will...just forget you heard anything," Ryan said rubbing his hand over his face.

Tim thought for a moment. "What do you think is more important to her?" He patted Ryan on the back. "Let me know if I can help," he said before walking away.

* * *

><p>Melissa and Stu were hosting their first party in Stu's new home. The majority of WWE and FCW Superstars that lived in Tampa had stopped by throughout the day. PJ and Barbie had raved about Melissa's home made salad dressing while Kofi's wife asked for her recipe for chickpea fritters. Stephen, Nattie, TJ, and Harry spent most of their time in the pool while Gail and Heath chose to sit pool side and watch the splash fights from afar.<p>

"Everything is really wonderful, Mel," Gail said.

"Yeah, thank you for having us all over," Nattie called out from the pool as she climbed on TJ's back.

"I'm so glad you guys could make it," Melissa added, her smile genuine. She was so pleased to be sharing the responsibilities of the party with Stu. Well, he stood by the grill while Windham manned it. Whether it was cooking or grilling, Stu was hopelessly bad at it. He waved at her as she walked in to the kitchen to refill the pitchers of water. Melissa was startled to see Ryan standing in the kitchen as she entered.

"I rang the doorbell a few times, so I just ended up letting myself in," he said.

"That's fine," Melissa said through a nervous laugh. "How are you?" He ignored her question and headed out to the deck as AJ and Gail walked through.

"Can I use your computer for a second? I want to show Gail my new ring wear," AJ asked her.

"Of course. It's over on the dining room table. Speaking of which, did you ever get the drawings I sent Terri that you asked for?"

"No..." Aj looked confused. "Terri made me a new costume though this week."

Melissa followed the girls over to her laptop and pulled up AJ's segment from Smackdown. "Oh my god..." Melissa trailed off. "That's the design I made you! Well, the drawing was pink, but it's the same thing!" Melissa shut her lap top and stood up. "I can't believe this!"

Gail's eyes widened as AJ shook her head. "I asked Terri to change the color because it would be too much pink if I tagged with Nattie..."

Melissa ran outside to the back deck and grabbed Stu, who was standing at the grill with Windham and Ryan. "I need to talk to you right now," she said softly as she grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him inside.

Stu smiled politely at her antics. "Whoa, hang on a second, love. What's going on?"

She looked over at Ryan, realizing that he saw her designs before she sent them off to Terri. "You saw them! You can say for sure!"

Stu looked over at Ryan. "What is she going on about?"

Ryan shrugged and they both followed her inside. When they reached the dining room, Melissa, Gail, and AJ were watching the footage on Smackdown.

"Terri stole my design of AJ's costume," Melissa said staring at the lap top screen.

"That's a pretty big accusation to make, don't you think?" Stu asked.

Melissa turned to Ryan. "You saw the package before I sent it off. That's what I showed you! That's the design!"

"That doesn't look anything like what you showed me," Ryan said stone faced.

"Seriously?" Melissa shouted at Ryan.

"Relax, Mel, you're making a scene" Stu said quietly as he grabbed her arm.

Melissa brushed past Stu and got in Ryan's face. "You mean to tell me that that looks nothing like the costume I showed you? The one that you said looked so amazing!"

Ryan looked her dead in the eye. "That's exactly what I'm saying," he said.

"How do you explain the package that I sent to Terri going missing! You know what I think?" No one responded to her, instead, everyone just watched her have a meltdown. "I think she got the package and stole my idea! No, you know what? That is what happened!"

Stu grabbed her arm again and spoke through gritted teeth. "Upstairs! Now!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the staircase. She pulled away from him and stormed up the stairs herself. Stu shut the door to the bedroom before angrily marching over towards her. "What the hell was that about?" Stu yelled. "Have you officially gone mad?"

"When have I ever 'gone mad?' Melissa shouted, using air quotes to emphasize Stu's accusation.

"You need to be careful with what you say about other people, Mel. You know that," Stu advised. Melissa could tell he was angry with her over her behavior in front of everyone downstairs. "Now, I have to go downstairs and explain to everyone why you were shouting in my dining room!"

Melissa took a deep breath and tried to calm down, but her hands were shaking with rage. "Just hear me out," she said. "Have you ever seen me this upset before?"

Stu shook his head. "Only when I'd done something to upset you."

"I sent Terri a package over a week ago now with Layla's new costume and some drawings for AJ. She never called me to say she received the package and she's been ignoring my texts and my emails and phone calls," she said.

"She didn't mention anything to me about it when I saw her tuesday," Stu said.

"And why would she?" Melissa shot back.

"I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this," Stu began. "What if the package was lost in the mail?"

"It was delivered. I called FedEx and everything," she said.

"Did she have to sign for it?" he asked.

"No," Melissa said.

"So then you really don't know, do you?" he asked.

"Why are you questioning me? You know Terri is shady, Stu." she pleaded.

Stu walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's best not to jump to conclusions now, sweetheart. I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding" Stu placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face up to look him in the eye. "Now, let's go back downstairs and try to have a good time. I'd like you to apologize to our guests."

"I'm not apologizing to anyone," she scoffed.

"Fine. Just apologize to Ryan and AJ, then. Okay?" His attempt at a compromise stung her more

She backed away defensively. "Fine."

"Take a few moments to get yourself together and come downstairs," Stu kissed her forehead and left her to her own thoughts. She needed to calm down before attempting to go downstairs, but she could not stop seething. After a few moments of deep breathing, her heart rate lowered and she went downstairs. Ryan was opening the front door to leave.

"Hey Ryan," she said. He turned around to face her. "I just wanted to apologize for what happened. I never should've yelled at you. Especially in front of everyone like that." She took a deep breath. "I embarrassed myself, but I also embarrassed you. I'm sorry." Ryan had to work hard to prevent his jaw from hitting the floor. He couldn't believe that Stu made her apologize to him when she was right, but how was he to know that? Ryan assumed that Stu convinced her that her actions ruined the party and she should walk around and make peace with the offended. Terri picked an easy target to manipulate.

"Thanks, Mel." Ryan opened the door to leave. "I'm gonna take off though."

"You shouldn't leave because of something I did," she pleaded. It was absolutely killing Ryan to hear her speak those words. "Stu and I would love it if you stayed."

"Thanks, but I should go anyway. Great party." His words stung her horrifically. She bit her bottom lip to help hold back her tears.

Melissa was doing the dishes in the kitchen as Stu was bundling the trash from outside. They hadn't spoken one word to each other since his talk to her in the bedroom. Sensing her vulnerability, Stu snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thank you for all your help today," he kissed her neck. She shrugged him away. "Whats the problem now? This isn't about that costume thing, is it?" Melissa shut the water off to the sink and walked towards the stairs. "Mel? Come back here. We need to talk."

She walked back towards the kitchen. "You're right. We do need to talk. And you need to listen instead of just talking at me. So, listen, Terri stole my costume ideas and Layla's outfit is floating around somewhere. I know that it is. How would you feel if someone tried to pass off your finisher as their own? This is my job, Stu. This is my livelihood and my passion. You said we're in this together and we support each other but based on today that's so obviously not true!"

He leaned against the kitchen counter. "Look, Mel, you don't know that to be true," he said.

"Why don't you believe me?" she yelled. "There is no reason why you shouldn't believe me!"

Defeated, Stu sighed. "Do you want me to talk to Terri on Tuesday?"

"No, I'm going to confront her myself," she said as she walked back towards the stairs.

"That's a terrible idea. Let me do it for you," he argued.

"Fine." she yelled back.

"Where are you going?" he yelled after her. "Mel?"

Melissa came back downstairs with her purse. "I'm going home," she said, slamming his front door.


	27. Come Inside

With a glass of red wine in her hand, Melissa sat on her back porch going over the events of the last week in her mind. Her ideas had been stolen, her boyfriend humiliated her, and one of her best friends berated and abandoned her for no reason.

She'd only been home from Stu's for about twenty minutes and she had already polished off half a bottle of wine. Her phone had been flooded with phone calls from Stu, she had let them all go to voice mail. Tim had sent her a few text messages, but she ignored those too. The screen on her phone lit up with a number she didn't recognize.

She rolled her yes and swiped the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hi...Melissa?" The caller sounded nervous.

Melissa grabbed the bottle of wine and poured more into her glass. "Speaking. Who is this?"

"It's AJ. Do you, uh, have a minute to talk?"

"How did you get my number?" she asked angrily. Melissa was genuinely curious.

"Tim," she responded. "Look, I just wanted to apologize for not backing you up at the party. And I just wanted to say that I really, really had no idea that was your design Terri showed me."

Melissa sat up quickly and suddenly started paying more attention to the conversation. "So, you agree that it's my design?"

"Well, yeah. How else would you have known it was originally pink? I wanted to speak up, but I can't. I haven't been there that long. I don't want to attract negative attention," AJ added, her words trembling with nervousness.

Defeated again, Melissa sighed. "No, I get it. It's the same reason why I can't say anything either," she said bringing the wine glass up to her lips. "Thanks for calling."

"Mel? One last thing. I really love the design. Thank you," AJ's words were sincere.

"Thanks, AJ. Bye," Melissa hung up. She was glad AJ called, but she was slightly more disgusted with the outcome. However, she couldn't help but like AJ. It took a lot of courage for her to call Melissa.

* * *

><p>"Well, did she call you?" Tim walked in to Melissa's office looking victorious.<p>

"What?" Melissa asked through slanted eyes. She was fighting a very rough hangover. FCW was the last place she wanted to be.

"I told AJ to call you," Tim said again. "How did it go?"

"Well, she agreed that I designed that costume and then asked me not to say anything because she's afraid of making accusations. Apparently, I'm getting a lot of heat on this," she said.

"Jesus Christ, Mel," Tim said shaking his head. He took a seat. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, I booked plane ticket for Detroit for Tuesday and I am going to go to the arena and confront Terri about it," she said.

Tim was shocked. Melissa usually let people take advantage of her. "Are you serious?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "Yup," she said.

"And what is your plan of attack, if you don't mind me asking?" Tim desperately wanted to guide her through this. He wanted to tell her everything that he already knew - that Ryan was sworn to secrecy to protect Stu and Melissa's relationship.

"I haven't really thought of that yet, but it will be a conversation between two civilized adults," she said.

Tim laughed. "This is Terri we're talking about. Does Stu know?"

"Nope. We had a fight after everyone left and I didn't stay there last night," she said. She sighed and waved her bottle of motrin in the air. "So, I went home and got super drunk."

"I couldn't believe how he acted at the party, Mel," he said in disbelief. Tim realized Stu was back to his old tricks.

"Well, some things never change," she said raising her eyebrows. "I told him I wanted to go talk to her and he told me 'no.' It's like he thinks I'm a loose cannon or something," she said. "I get that he doesn't want to be associated with this, but he said he would talk to her himself."

"Do you believe him?" Tim asked.

"Nope. That's why I'm going to Detroit," she said.

Ben knocked on Melissa's office door. "Sorry, I was in a meeting and I just got your email. Is now a good time to talk?" Tim stood up from his chair and made a quick exit allowing Ben to occupy where he previously sat. "So, whats up?"

"This isn't easy for me to talk about, because I obviously don't want to speak ill of other employees or make accusations, but I have it on good authority that one of my designs was stolen by another designer."

Ben's eyes widened and danced around Melissa's office as he contemplated. "Go on," he said. At least he was interested.

"I designed a costume for Layla and did some drawings for AJ. I mailed them to Terri through FedEx to her home - they arrived, I tracked it. This was almost two weeks ago. Then AJ shows up on Smackdown in an identical costume to the one I had designed. Terri won't return my phone calls. Layla's outfit is missing..."

"I'm going to stop you right there," Ben began. "Theft is a pretty big accusation to make around here, Melissa. Do you have any receipts or copies of the costumes?"

"No..." Melissa trailed off. "I just have the delivery confirmation for the package."

Ben sighed. "Did anyone see the drawings?"

"No..." Melissa trailed off. To say that Ryan had seen them and then have him deny it would have hurt her cause more than helped it.

"I can't really help you, unfortunately," he said. "If you have more proof, let me know."

Melissa sighed. "If I were to go to Detroit to talk to her about it, would that be a bad idea?"

Ben thought momentarily. "No. We encourage our employees to handle conflict between each other without outside assistance. Let me know how it goes." Ben got up from his seat and walked towards the door. He paused for a moment. "Hey Melissa, you didn't hear this from me, but Terri is a bit of a problem. And we know that. Anything you can give me would be great,"

For the first time ever, Melissa's office phone started ringing. "Hello, this is Melissa," she was unsure of how to answer it, but thought this sounded professional enough.

"How come you haven't returned any of my phone calls?" Stu asked angrily.

"Because I don't want to talk to you," she rattled off. She didn't. Stu's comments proved to her that her career, and her relationship, mattered very little to him. She was skeptical of his apparent alliance with Terri.

"We need to speak today. It's important," he said. "You should come over after work."

"No, you want to talk to me, you come to my apartment. 6pm. Bye." Melissa was done taking shit.

* * *

><p>At one point in time, Stu Bennett was everything Melissa Anderson wanted. She had been crushing on him since before her employment with FCW. He was the first man who ever made her feel special - like she was worth something. Stu was generous and committed. He never would have cheated on her. If anything, he couldn't get enough of her. They were both attentive lovers to each other. Sure, his drinking got the best of him sometimes and created problems within their relationship. In their short time together they had been through so much. So, it was with a heavy heart that Stu came to Melissa's apartment and dropped the latest bomb shell in her life.<p>

"You're breaking up with me?" Melissa said, her arms folded across her chest. She was leaning against the counter in her kitchen as Stu sat on a bar stool with his head in his hands. Melissa was more angry than devastated.

Stu did not want to end his relationship with Melissa, but he felt as though her actions left him no choice. "Yes," he said staring down at the counter.

"Fucking look at me when you're talking to me, Stuart," she shot back. His eyes met with hers. "I'd love to say that this is coming out of left field, but I know exactly what has prompted this," she argued. "You don't want any heat on you. You're already working dark matches and stuck on commentary. You're worried that a relationship with me and my crazy accusations might be the final nail in the coffin, am I right?" Stu remained expressionless. He didn't want to have to break up with her, but he couldn't take any chances. Creative had nothing for him and the last thing he needed was a reason to be let go from his contract. "You know what?" she said walking over to open a bottle of wine. Her tone changed from being angry to being more subdued. "You and I are in the same boat. We're both trying to save face. I don't want to be mad at you for this, Stu, but I thought we were supposed to support each other now." She leaned against the kitchen island in front of Stu. "But listen to me when I say this. I will be at Smackdown on Tuesday. I will be confronting Terri about everything. So, if you don't want to be associated with me by then, you should start spreading it around the locker room that we're over."

"Mel..." he began.

"Save it. You want out of this?" she asked. He nodded. She walked over and opened her front door. "Then leave and please don't you ever, ever try to win me back again."

Stu stood up and walked over to the door. He placed his hand on Melissa's cheek. She turned away to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. "Mel," he whispered. "I still love you."

"Save it for Terri," she said, unable to control the trembling of her voice. He passed through her front door and walked down the stairs. She didn't even turn to watch him walk away. Being strong was not Melissa's best quality. She shut the door and pressed her back against it. Sobbing loudly, her limp body slid down the door to the floor. She collapsed in to a fetal position and let all the pent up emotion that she had been harboring these past few days pour out of her body with violent emotion..

* * *

><p>Desperate to do something about her situation, Melissa got in to her car and drove to Ryan's apartment. The usual Tampa afternoon thunderstorm was passing through the area making her drive take far longer than usual. She pulled in to his complex and parked next to his Tacoma - a sure sign that he was home. Even though a down pour had just began, she jumped out of her car and ran up the steps of his building to the third floor.<p>

The lights were on in his apartment and she could hear music playing. She knocked on the door three times and waited briefly for a response before knocking again. Melissa's clothing was drenched and her hair was starting to curl over the heft of the water weight it had obtained.

"Ryan!" she banged on the door again.

He heard something that time. She caught him in the middle of cleaning up after cooking dinner. He walked over to his front door and looked through the peep hole. "Holy shit," he whispered to himself.

"Ryan! I know you're inside! I saw you in the kitchen!" she yelled over the thunder. "Okay, so I am going to talk for a minute, because I know you can hear me." She leaned in close to the door and spoke, hopefully preventing everyone in his complex from hearing her. "Stu dumped me because of this whole thing. It's over. It's over and I'm glad. He wouldn't back me up," she said. She briefly debated her next line internally before speaking. "And neither would you. And that hurts more! Because you know the truth and you can help me! I don't know what I did to have you act like this, but I must've done something," she paused as she gathered her thoughts and emotions. "And I'm sorry!" her voice cracked.

The door swung open. Ryan stood there staring at her with sympathy swirling in his eyes. She was soaked through her clothing. She folded her arms across her chest to protect her form from being scrutinized and stared down at the ground. Seeing him face to face produced a large amount of anxiety in her body and she was unable to continue speaking. Ryan knew that this was the perfect chance to make things right between them. He walked outside and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Her body tensed and she turned away. He turned his face to meet hers. "You didn't do anything wrong," he said, tucking a few strands of wet hair behind her ear. Her brow furrowed and she moved to speak, but his lips came crashing down on hers before she had the chance to respond. Melissa broke away. The kiss left her breathless, but she was confused by his actions. His hands cupped her face and he looked in to her eyes. "I've wanted to do that for so long, Mel. You have no idea."

She finally spoke. "Tell me what's going on."

"Gladly," he nodded and took her small hand in his. "Come inside."


	28. Dryer

"It's ok. You can sit on the couch," Ryan said handing Melissa a towel. Now that Melissa and Stu were officially broken up, again, Ryan didn't need to cover for Terri anymore. The one consequence he had been trying to prevent had happened on it's own. Sure, the cause of their break up happened because of Terri's plan, but that would've happened even without Ryan's involvement.

Melissa ran the thick cotton fabric over her arms, collecting the beads of condensation that the humidity made cling to her skin. "I'll stand. My clothes are soaked, but thank you," she replied meekly. The kiss on his front steps had thrown her for a loop.

He watched her intently as she toweled herself off. "Can I get you a change of clothes?" Ryan asked as though he was struggling to find the right words.

She shrugged. "Maybe a shirt and some shorts would be good," she suggested meekly. They were both tip toeing around each other avoiding talking about what had just transpired between them.

"Um, I can put your clothes in the dryer, too." Ryan walked in to his bedroom to grab some clothing for Melissa.

Melissa smiled. "Hey Ry," she called out after him. "...what just happened out there?" It was easier to ask him if she didn't have to look at him.

Ryan leaned against the door frame of his bedroom and played with the fabric in his hands. He chuckled lightly to himself. "You want the long version or the short version?"

She chuckled slightly in response. "I don't care as long as it's your version and it's the truth," she said. "I need someone to be honest with me right now." He found her vulnerability in the moment to be almost sad. Poor girl had been through so much in the last 24 hours. He needed to put her needs above his own.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Terri received your designs. She never gave Layla your costume. I don't know where it is. She told me that if I told you about it, she'd tell Stu how I felt about you and the date and the flirting. You didn't need that complicating your already delicate relationship," he said.

Melissa bit her lower lip. "You did that for me?" Ryan nodded his head. "So, you had a chance to sabotage my relationship with Stu and...you didn't? Even with how you feel about me?" Melissa was shocked.

"Well, let's be honest. I'm not asking details, but from what you yelled through my door it seems like if I said that I had seen your designs, he would've believed you and none of this would have happened," Ryan suggested.

Melissa shook her head. "No, I don't think he would have. He dumped me because he doesn't want this type of drama holding him back. Besides, him refusing to believe me is a whole other issue in and of itself. Let's face it. This was ultimately going to happen," she said.

"With you and Stu?" Ryan asked.

"Well, yeah." Melissa stated obviously. "But also with me and you."

"Excuse me?" Ryan asked.

Melissa stood up and walked over towards him. She took the clothes from him and walked towards his bathroom. She momentarily paused outside to answer his question. "I hate that I hurt you. And I think that what you said to me the other day about being selfish - I think there was some truth in that." She disappeared in to the bathroom to change in to dry clothing.

"What do you mean, Mel?" he asked through the door.

"I never really know what's around me. I can't read signs. I can't tell when someone is using me, but you've always looked out for me. I probably never should've gone back with Stu. Goes against my rules of dating. If it didn't work the first time, it won't work the second," she yelled through the door as she changed.

Ryan moved to take a seat on the couch. "But you and I..." Ryan began before being interrupted by Melissa.

She exited his bathroom wearing a Nexus shirt that clung to her breasts, but was big everywhere else. The bottom of the shirt and the shorts was flush together, both ending around her knees. "You and I had one awkward dinner. That's all it was."

Ryan couldn't help but laugh at the way this ensemble looked on her. "So, this is what it would've looked like if we had a girl in the group," Ryan said smiling. "You look ridiculous."

She smiled as she looked down at her outfit. "You picked it out! And believe me if I was dressing your female Nexus member, she'd be a lot sexier than this frumpy shirt dress thing." She plopped herself down next to Ryan on the couch.

He placed his land on her bare knee. "I don't doubt that one bit. You're very talented, but I don't need to tell you that." Melissa thought back to what brought her to Ryan's in the first place. She needed to get this costume situation with Terri sorted out. She sighed heavily and started fiddling with her fingers. "Hey," Ryan whispered as he squeezed her knee. "We're going to figure this out. I promise you." Melissa looked up at Ryan, her eyes filled with tears. He knew how it felt to work so hard for something and have it taken away from you an instant. Ryan spent his whole life training for the WWE only to have it cut short after a few shorts months on the main roster with a debilitating ankle fracture. The only thing that helped him through it was the fact that WWE management believed in him and supported him during his rehabilitation. Melissa needed someone to believe in her and he knew for sure that he was that guy. "You and I will handle this in Detroit." He placed his arm around her and pulled her close to his chest, running his hand up and down her arm, trying his best to comfort her.

Melissa, having been through so much emotionally, was drifting off to sleep in his arms. "Why did you kiss me outside just now?" Her voice was groggy and her body languid.

"Same reason I'm holding you in my arms now." He smiled to himself. "You're beautiful. I needed you to know how I felt so I showed you."

She nuzzled in closer to his chest, draping her arm around his waist. "How do you feel?"

Ryan shut his eyes as he thought. He didn't want to spill it all out now, but she asked. "I care for you a lot. I want you to be happy, ultimately, but I want you to be happy with me...Do you think you could be happy with me?" He was nervous about her answer. He found himself in the same situation as before: her relationship with Stu had just ended and she was vulnerable.

"I don't know, but I'd like to try," she responded moments before falling asleep in his arms. Ryan picked her up and carried her in to his bedroom, gently laying her down in his bed, making sure that her head was centered on the pillow. It was only 8:30pm, but he would let her sleep there the night if she needed to and he would crash on the couch. He gathered her wet clothes and put them in his dryer. Sex with Melissa was the last thing on his mind. He was only slightly aware of the fact that she was asleep in his bed. His thoughts primarily focused on how they could get Terri to own up to what happened. Melissa was far too sweet to execute what he had in mind. The best he could do was to try to get Melissa and some other person to eaves drop outside the door of the costume area prior to the Smackdown taping, but Terri would surely get wind of Melissa's presence if she hadn't already.

The dryer's buzzer startled Ryan from his thoughts and Melissa from her sleep. She panicked slightly when she awoke forgetting that she was at Ryan's apartment. She stepped out of his bedroom, the sharp light from his lamps and the television temporarily blinding her. "How long was I asleep for?" she asked, rubbing her eyes to help make them more receptive to light.

"About an hour," he laughed. "Are you hungry? I have some left over stir fry," he offered.

"That's kind of you, but I'm not really hungry right now, thanks," she responded. They both felt the need to be overly polite to each other as they started feeling out their relationship. "Anyway, my clothes are dry now, I should probably go."

Ryan didn't want her to leave. "You can stay the night if you want to, Mel. I'm perfectly fine on this couch. Hell, I lived on it for a few months in my buddy's apartment. My body is practically molded in to it."

She smiled at his offer. "Thanks, but if I stay, you should sleep in your own bed."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to let a lady sleep on the couch."

"I didn't say anything about me sleeping on the couch. I usually sleep on the left side," she said coyly as she tip toed back in to his bedroom.

"That's perfect," he said as he stood up, following closely behind her. "I sleep on the right." Melissa had already climbed into bed and was lying facing the wall as Ryan approached his side of the bed. He slid under the covers and inched over towards her. He placed his hand on her hip and slid his fingers just under the elastic waist band of her shorts. She bent her form to match with his, resting her feet on the tops of his and slightly arching her back in to his stomach. The Nexus shirt Melissa was wearing slid down her shoulder, revealing a soft patch of skin. Ryan, placed a soft, but sensuous kiss there causing her to exhale sweetly. This is as far as he would take this tonight.

* * *

><p><strong>WOW! Thanks for all the great and interesting reviews Moxxie23, Jojo Barrett, hotpocketbandit, and Kizzyfur. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me! Hope you're still enjoying the story. <strong>


	29. Victory

Melissa woke up wide awake at 7:30am, again temporarily confused as to where she was. She turned over to find Ryan sound asleep on his side, facing away from her. She traced her finger down the curves of his bicep, startling him awake. It wasn't her intention, but she was glad she did it. His physical response showed her that he was not used to sharing his bed with anyone.

"Geez, Mel, you scared me a bit," Ryan greeted, rolling over on his back. She smiled coyly. "How did you sleep?"

She smiled before a yawn overtook her. "Great. You?"

He yawned in response "Good. Do you want me to make you some breakfast?"

"I actually should go home and change before work. Rain check?" Melissa jumped out of bed and walked towards Ryan's dryer to grab her clothes.

He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. "You didn't have dinner though, you should eat." He was concerned that the stress of her life was beginning to affect her lifestyle.

"I will!" she yelled back at him. She wandered back in to his bedroom fully dressed. "I have oatmeal in my desk at work." Melissa could tell by the look on Ryan's face that he was worried about her lack of caloric intake. She smiled at the realization that he cared that much for her. She sat down next to him on the bed. "I'm fine. Really. I feel really good about things," she nodded her head in confirmation of her statement. "Thank you for everything last night. I really needed to be with someone." She saw the wheels beginning to turn in Ryan's head. It was now her turn to offer up some certainty. "I'm happy I came over here and we worked things out. I'm really glad you told me about what's going on with Terri so I don't feel like a completely paranoid crazy person." She took his hand in hers. "And I'm so happy that you told me how you feel." Melissa leaned forward and kissed Ryan on the lips. "I don't want what happened between us last time to happen again."

"What do you mean?" Ryan was confused.

"You know the awkward date we had, but mostly you questioning whether or not anything going on between us is real. Can I have a few days to figure things out before we seriously try this again?" She knew she was asking a lot of him, but if he truly felt the way that he said he did, he would wait. "I mean...is that at all selfish?" she asked. Melissa was worried about his response. She wanted to do things right this time, she owed him at least that much.

Her candidness about the situation was comforting to Ryan. He smiled. "No. Not at all. When you're ready, you let me know and we'll go out on a real, totally not awkward date together."

"I'd like that," she said. Ryan grabbed her hand in his and kissed it gently. She tried to contain her excitement but ended up giggling like a school girl at his touch. She jumped up from his bed. "Okay, I've gotta run home and change, but I'll see you in Detroit?"

Ryan nodded. "Remember to send me your flight info and I'll grab you at the airport."

"Thank you. I appreciate that so much," she was sincere in her statement. Melissa paused at the entrance to Ryan's bed room. "Oh, and uh," she smiled brightly, "I think I could be happy with you. See ya!"

Ryan waited until he heard his front door close to jump out of bed and raise his hands in the air in victory. Melissa had made him a very happy man.

* * *

><p>Melissa walked in to her office, iced coffee in hand, to find a box of her things on her desk. She sighed heavily remembering her break up with Stu. Miraculously she felt like she had already moved on. There had been so many disappointments within their relationship that the prospect of something new with Ryan made her giddy with excitement. Shrugging, she took a quick glance in the box. On the surface, nothing inside the box was particularly interesting: a small pyrex container, her tooth brush, a copy of The Great Gatsby, but then she looked at the bottom and found her sketch notebook. "Holy shit," she said out loud.<p>

"What's in the box?" Tim asked walking in to her office and grabbing a seat.

Melissa needed to protect her find. If anything had become true to her over the last forty eight hours it was that she could not trust anyone. "Hey, just some stuff I left at Stu's," she said without a care.

"Yeah, he was here earlier looking for you," Tim said.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Great. Think he'll be back?"

Tim shook his head. "He didn't say anything. Did you guys break up?" Melissa ignored Tim's question so he went with a different approach. "Another iced coffee? Late night?"

Melissa smiled. "Not really. Just a very emotional day," she sighed.

"So, you guys did break up?" Tim asked again.

Melissa put her head in her hands. "I don't really want to talk about it," she pleaded. "Please let it go."

Despite Melissa's request Tim kept prying. "Is it because you're going to Detroit?"

She slammed her hand down on the desk. "For fuck's sake, Tim. Leave it alone."

Ben knocked on Melissa's door. "You two sure do spend a lot of time together."

"We used to be lovers," Tim said smiling.

Melissa's voice was sent into a squeaky panic. "Oh my God! Seriously!"

Tim started laughing and jumped up from his chair. "Alright! I'm going!"

"I'm really sorry about that. Have a seat, please," Melissa motioned towards the seat Tim had recently occupied. "What's up?"

"Are you still going to Detroit this weekend?" Ben asked.

"Yes. And I have some proof," she handed Ben her sketch book. "Stu dropped off my sketch book. Everything in here is dated. The sketch for the outfit I made for Layla is in this book and Ryan saw me package it up with AJ's drawings."

Ben was confused. "You originally said no one saw the package. Melissa, please tell me that you're not forcing him to make this up."

"No. I'm being completely honest. Stu can back up the authenticity of these drawings too."

"Great, I'll be going with you," Ben stated.

"Um, sorry? What do you mean you're going with me?" Melissa didn't want Ben involved in this situation at all, especially with everything that has happened between Stu, Terri, Ryan and herself over the last few months.

"Now that you have a proof this should be easy. Someone from corporate needs to be involved in this. Look, you didn't hear this from me, again, but they've never been huge fans of Terri on a personal level. However, everyone has been really impressed with you and your professionalism. The Superstars like you and it helps that you're dating Stu."

Melissa smiled weakly and sighed. "Yeah..."

"So, you and I will be heading out to Detroit early Tuesday morning," Ben stated.

"Looking forward to it," she said.

Ben continued looking through her designs. "These are so good, Melissa. We really need you working at the top," he said handing the book back to her.

Melissa picked up her cell phone and dialed Stu's number. He picked up almost immediately. "Hey, I got the box of things you left on my desk. Thank you. Are you free today? I'd like to talk to you?" Stu agreed to come by FCW during lunch time. Melissa made it clear they weren't going to get back together. "My sketch book is in that box. Did you look at it?" He had. "Great. That's what we need to talk about. I'll see you at noon."

* * *

><p>Stu arrived in Melissa's office dressed for a professional business meeting, which took Melissa by surprise. She expected to see him in his work out attire, but instead he had on a light blue long sleeve shirt and grey slacks. Stu took note of Melissa's ensemble. A strapless red cotton empire waist dress framed her perfectly. The elastic of the top wrapped around her revealing an inch of her cleavage. A black shawl that she had knitted was wrapped around her shoulders as the air conditioner pumped full blast in her office.<p>

"Hello, darling," Stu greeted.

"Hi Stu," she retorted. Melissa was determined to keep this as professional as possible. "I'm going to need your help on Tuesday with Terri," she began.

Stu thought momentarily before providing her with an answer. "No."

This stopped Melissa's train of thought. "No?" she asked.

He shrugged and repeated himself. "No. I don't want any part of this," he said.

"But you saw me work on Layla's costume. The same one that I sent off to Terri with the drawings for AJ and Ryan saw me put that whole package together. You finding this notebook has potentially saved my career! I really need you to just tell the truth for me. Please?" Melissa knew she was begging, but Stu really was the only person that could help her save face.

Stu clearly had other things on his mind. The mention of Ryan's name had sent him into a state of jealousy. "Let me ask you something, where were you last night?"

Melissa's heart jumped in to her throat. "What?"

"What?" he mocked. "Where were you last night? I went to your apartment to bring you these things, but you weren't home."

"I, uh, went out for drinks with Catie," she lied.

Stu knew she was lying. It wasn't difficult to figure out, she was a terrible liar. "Where?"

"Hyde Park House," she rattled the words off quickly.

He shook his head. "No, you didn't. I checked there for you, too" Stu's tone had turned sarcastic. He had been up all night trying to think of where she had been. "As a matter of fact, Catie and Matt are out of town. You're a horrible liar, Mel. Tell me where you were."

Melissa was starting to get pissed. "No. I don't owe you any explanations. It's none of your business. I need your help, Stu. I'm desperate. Please."

Stu stood up from the chair and pointed his finger in her face. "I'm not going to put my reputation on the line for you," he said. "I have too much at stake here to throw it all away for something so insignificant as this." Melissa was defeated. Instead of responding, she turned away and let him continue with his verbal assault. "You threw away everything that we had together because of your job. Why couldn't you just let it be? You have a great gig here at FCW." Melissa bit her tongue. This conversation was not going to plan at all. "I could've taken care of you."

"I don't want you to take care of me. And I guess I don't need your help now either," she said. She desperately wanted to tell him that it would be as soon as next week that she would be fitting him for pieces and making adjustments to his shorts. She needed to keep it a secret, but she decided to throw him a bone. "Helping me out will only be a positive thing for you. I promise."

Stu chuckled smugly and walked towards her desk. "I doubt that. You're just going to turn in to one big giant headache that will not go away."

Melissa stood up and strained herself to make eye contact. "I'm giving you one last chance here."

"Good luck," he said as he turned to exit her office.

"Wait!" she yelled after him. "If I told you where I was, would you help me then?"

Stu smirked to himself. "I already know where you were, Mel."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for all the great feedback hotpocketbandit , kizzyfur, mariadimension, jojo barrett, moxxie23, and choirbandgeek! I'm having so much fun writing this story and I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying the craziness of these people. As always, I love the reviews and all feedback is appreciated!<strong>


	30. Confrontation

Melissa and Ben walked towards Ryan's rental car that was idle outside of the [Detroit airport.] Ryan hopped out to help Melissa with her bag. She was clutching on to her sketch book for dear life.

Ryan smiled at the sight of her. "You held on to that the whole plane ride over here, didn't you?"

"You bet your ass I did," she stated. "I've made it this far."

"She even took a quick nap with her arms wrapped around it," Ben said. "Thanks for picking us up," he said placing his bags in to the car.

"No problem," Ryan said. "I hope we can get this all sorted out today." He turned his attention towards Melissa. "You have nothing to be nervous about, okay? Ben and I are here to make sure that everything goes well. You have physical proof that she stole from you. You also have my word. That should count for something."

* * *

><p>Melissa was visibly nervous on the ride over to the arena. She remained quiet and was constantly fiddling with her hands. A few deep breathing exercises let Ryan know that she was working really hard on mentally preparing for what was about to unfold.<p>

"You're going to do great," Ryan said stepping out the car. "You have your sketches. How did talking to Stu go?" He opened the door to the arena for Melissa and Ben.

Melissa shook her head. "Not well," she said. "I highly doubt that he is going to back me up."

"Maybe I should talk to him," Ryan suggested. "It couldn't hurt, right?"

Melissa gritted her teeth. "No, I think that's a really bad idea," she said. As they rounded the corner of the arena, Melissa bumped head first in to the Englishman.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, love" he said. The typical smug look plastered across his face. Melissa had not spoken to him since he told her he refused to help her in her battle against Terri. She knew that Stu had conjured up a relationship between her and Ryan that had not even started yet.

"Hey Stu, how's it going man?" Ryan stuck his hand out to be friendly, but Stu wasn't having it.

"I always had my suspicions, Mel. Looks like I was right." He pointed between Melissa and Ryan. "How long has this been going on for?"

"Nothing has happened, Stu," Melissa replied defeated. She was only trying to get Stu to work with her instead of against her.

"I don't believe you for a second. So, that night I picked you up at FCW and you were with him in the locker room - had you just finished fucking him? When did it start? England? Or maybe even before that?"

Ryan took a step toward Stu, but Melissa put her hand up to stop him. "No. Like I said. Nothing has happened. Now..."

Stu chuckled. "Nothing has happened? Nothing has happened? You're implying that something will in fact happen."

Melissa bent her head back and sighed deeply. "Can we not do this right now?" Stu starred down at her. "Look, you dumped me because you thought I was creating all this drama for you and now you're making a scene. If you don't want to help me today or you don't want anything to do with me, why don't you just leave me alone? It'll be easier for all of us." She stepped around Stu's hulking frame and headed towards the costume area with Ben following closely behind.

"I expected better from you than to steal your friends girl, Reeves," Stu retorted.

"You gave her up. I'm here to help pick up the pieces. We'll see what happens," he said before following after his fellow cohorts.

Melissa was more determined than ever to get this over with. After her run in with Stu her anxiety was at an all time high. She clutched her sketch book in her hands and pressed it to her chest.

"How come you didn't tell me that you and Stu broke up?" Ben asked. He was almost running to try to keep pace with Melissa.

"Please let it go," Melissa requested. She needed to focus on the task at hand. She stopped a few feet outside of Terri's make shift office. "Ben, I'm going to give you the book. Ryan, stay out here with Ben. I want to have a conversation with her before we ambush her. I want to give her a chance to explain this first."

Ryan and Ben looked at each other. They knew Melissa wouldn't last a minute in there with Terri. "Mel, maybe you should let me go in with you," Ryan suggested.

"No, let me just try this. Please?" she asked. There was no way Ryan could refuse. He nodded and motioned for her to enter the office.

Melissa smiled brightly. "Thanks," she said while placing her hand on the door knob.

Terri looked up from her sewing machine and sat back in her chair. "Well, well, well. Melissa Anderson. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Melissa chuckled to herself. Surprisingly, it helped her to relax. "It's good to see you too, Terri. I just decided to stop by since you haven't returned any of my calls, texts, or emails. Did you get the package I sent?" Melissa stood close to the door in case she needed to yell for help.

"Yes, I did. None of it was usable. The stitches on Layla's costume were done so poorly that it practically disintigrated in transit. I'm afraid it was ruined by the time it got here," Terri replied sarcastically.

"Cut the crap. I know you stole my designs," Melissa said. "Now, I want to see what you did with Layla's costume. I know you think you can get away with passing it off as your own," she said.

Terri smirked and raised an eye brow. "She's actually going out in it tonight. There isn't a damn thing you can do at this point."

Ryan and Ben had been foolish to let Melissa go in alone. Terri was eating her alive. "What is this about Terri? Is this about Stu? Because you can have him." Terri smirked. "Is it about protecting this bitchy little imagine that you feel the need to project at all times? Do you really think you're better than me or better than anyone else for that matter?"

"No, but you do," Terri said. "Ever since you've got here you've had everyone wrapped around your little finger. You never should have offered to design pieces for the Divas. That's what I do. That's my job!"

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to step on your toes. I thought I was doing a good thing. We could have worked together, Terri," Melissa said.

"You don't really get how it works around here, do you?" Terri asked. "Everyone is always under the constant threat of losing their jobs. Especially if someone better comes along. And you're better. And I fucking hate you for it," Terri said.

Melissa took a step back from Terri towards the door. She stammered as she tried to speak. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry? Sorry!" Terri yelled. "Spare me. I'm fed up with young girls like you. So, it's time I stopped you."

Outside, Ben and Ryan had their ears pressed to the door, but they couldn't hear anything. "What do you think is going on in there?" Ben asked. Ryan shrugged.

Tim sauntered up to the two men standing outside of the door. "What are you guys doing?"

"Shhhh," Ryan said.

"Is Mel in there with Terri? Did she show her the book?" Tim asked.

"No, she left the book out here," Ben said.

Tim looked at his watch. "You guys should go watch this match from the monitor. Layla's up and she's wearing the costume that Mel made."

"Thanks, but we should really be here in case..." Ryan stated.

"Trust me. You're going to want to see this. Ben, you should at least come with me to watch it. Ryan, you can stay here in case she needs anything," Tim said. "Oh, and Ryan, don't show Terri or anyone else that book under any circumstances, okay? As far as we all know this book does not exist. Okay?"

Ben shrugged and Ryan motioned for him to follow Tim to watch Layla's match. Ryan pressed his ear back to the door.

"Would you like to go watch Layla wrestler in your costume?" Terri continued. "She's probably working her match right now. We should go watch it from the monitor."

Melissa folded her arms in front of her. "Fine. Lead the way." Melissa knew that the sketch book outside would provide her with the insurance that she needed. As soon as Terri would open the door, Ryan would flash the book in front of Ben and it would all be over. But Terri opened the door and only Ryan stood there, empty handed. "Hey Ryan, what's going on?" Melissa felt betrayed in the moment. Where was Ben? Where was the book?

"Hey Ryan, my friend Melissa and I were just going to watch Layla's match from the monitor, would you like to join us?"

"Sure," Ryan said. Terri led the way with Ryan and Melissa following behind. Melissa shot Ryan a look of confusion. "Trust me," he mouthed back at her.

Melissa noted that Ben and Tim were watching the monitors back stage as well as Heath, PJ, and Rosa. Her book was no where to be found.

Terri looked to everyone backstage. "What a beautiful costume on Layla, huh?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "It was my design, she loved it."

Everyone quickly turned their attention back to the monitor as Layla had Alicia Fox right where she wanted her. Layla quickly moved to apply her finishing move, Face Lift, when the seam in the back of her pants ripped straight down the middle revealing her bright pink thong to the WWE Universe. Melissa and Ryan's mouths dropped in horror thinking that Melissa was going to get blamed for the wardrobe malfunction. Ryan looked over at Tim who was trying his best not to lose all control and laugh at the situation that had ensued. Realizing what Tim did, Ryan placed his hand on Melissa's lower back and rubbed small circles in an attempt to show her that it was all okay. Ben stood in horror at the even that had unfolded.

"Where the hell is Terri?" An angry Paul Levesque screamed in the hallway of the arena. Terri stood staring at the ground while everyone else stared silently at her.

"You guys should go," Ben directed at everyone.

"No, no. I wanna stay and see this," Tim said. Ben shot him a look and Tim quickly scrambled to catch up with the others.

Melissa and Ryan were stopped a few feet down the hallway trying to make sense of what just happened when Tim caught up to them. "You did that, didn't you?" Melissa asked Tim.

With a huge smile plastered on his face, Tim shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Ryan erupted in a fit of laughter. "Oh my God, the look on her face," Ryan managed to say between laughs. "Incredible. Just incredible." All three started laughing in response.

"Wait," Melissa stopped them in a fit of panic. "What about my sketches?"

"I have the book, Mel," Tim said. "And I know your next question. Ben knows what happened and he's okay with it. He's going to make sure Terri loses her job and play dumb about knowing that it was your costume. And I know your next question," he continued. "I loosened the stitches in the ass to make sure they ripped open during the match."

"I can't believe you did that for me," she said.

"Hey, you didn't deserve that shit from her. I fucking hate Terri. I really did it for everyone," Tim said.

Melissa gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you cared enough to help."

"Don't mention it. Hey, I have to go get ready for my match with Stu later. I'll see ya," Tim said shaking Ryan's hand. Ryan was equally as grateful for what Tim did, even at Layla's expense.

Ryan turned to Melissa. "So, you feel better now?"

Melissa nodded. "Yeah, still a little nervous. This will all work out though, right?"

Ryan ran his hand over Melissa's cheek. "Absolutely," he said. "I have to stay here the rest of the night. I'm sure Ben will be here as well. Why don't you take the rental and go back to the hotel and get some rest. I'll have one of the guys drop me off later. The address for the hotel is in the GPS."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, please. Go take care of yourself," he said. "We have at least another hour and a half here. Especially because I know they're going to want to film Layla and Alicia's match again after this is sorted out. I'll let you know how all this goes, but for now, I think it's best that you stay away."

"You're right," she said, taking the key card and car keys from his hand. "Thank you for everything. You've been totally awesome to me through this whole thing."

"No, I wasn't," he reminded her. "But I have your back from now on."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the awesome reviews y'all! We are nearing the end of this story. I'm so glad that you've all been enjoying it and commenting. I love the feedback I've been getting! :)<strong>


	31. Perfect

Ryan slid his hotel key card in the door and gently pushed the door open. "Mel?" he called out. The lights and the television were on.

"In here!" she yelled back. Ryan walked in to the bathroom and observed Mel standing at the bathroom sink. She appeared to be applying the final coat of mascara on to her long lashes. "I was thinking I could take you out to dinner tonight as a thank you," she said. Ryan's mouth dropped when she turned to face him. He scanned her from top to bottom. She was wearing a dark purple tube dress with gathers at the bust. A black belt cinched her waist and gave more depth to the a-line skirt. A pair of flat black ballet shoes encased her feet. Melissa saw his reaction to her outfit. "Do you like it?" She spun around. "I made it the other day." His lack of speech started to make her feel uncomfortable. "You're probably tired," she stammered. "We can go out another day. Do you want me to go out and pick you up some food?"

"That dress looks amazing on you," Ryan said as he was finally beginning to regain his composure. "I mean, you look amazing in that dress." He walked over towards her and placed his hands on her waist. "How about this? Why don't I take a quick shower and change and we'll head out. Sound good?" Melissa nodded. He bent down and kissed her quickly on the lips. "I'll be out in two shakes of a lambs tail."

Melissa heard the shower start and a knock at the door simultaneously. She looked through the peep hole and saw Stu standing there. Despite the voice in her head telling her to let it go, she opened the door anyway.

"Well, looks like my suspicions have been confirmed for a second time," he said. "Can I come in?"

"I'd rather you didn't. What do you want?" she said.

"Well, I heard about what happened today with Layla's outfit and I have a business proposal for you. Get back together with me or I will tell Paul what happened." Melissa cracked up laughing. "I didn't expect you to find this funny," he said.

"First, that's not really a business proposal. Second, and more importantly, you don't want to help me in order to save our relationship or to help me save my job, but you will blackmail me to get me to lose me job after I've saved it. Am I hearing this right?" Stu stared at her. She went to shut the door. "Goodnight."

"I don't think you want to do that," he said.

"I don't respond to threats," she said. "You had your chance. In fact, you had many chances. And if you say anything about that book, I will tell them about your previous relationship with Terri and how you're only doing this to get back at me for breaking up with you."

Stu scoffed. "You didn't break up with me. I broke up with you," he said as a smirk stretched across his features.

"But I have all the power now. It's over, Stu. And it should've been over a long, long time ago. I wish you the best of luck and I hope nothing but the best for you. I hope you wish the same for me," she said sincerely. "Now, goodnight." Melissa walked back and took a seat on the bed.

Ryan came out of the bathroom, a towel draped around his waist, and saw Melissa holding her head in her hands. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, Stu just stopped by and tried to black mail me to get him to get back together with him. I have a feeling this whole thing is far from over."

"Don't pay him any attention. He's just a little hurt right now." Ryan placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in his hand. "Obviously, now he realizes what a good thing he had going on with you." Melissa stood up and grabbed Ryan's face in her hands. He always said exactly what she needed to hear. It wasn't forced either. He genuinely cared for her. Melissa stared in to his eyes. Ryan laughed nervously not knowing what she was thinking. "Whats up?"

Melissa leaned in and kissed him passionately, gently pushing her tongue in to his mouth when he gasped for air. Ryan's hands grabbed her backside hard in response hoping it might show her his dominance, but she only became more assertive in response. Ryan let his lips trail from her lips down her neck to her shoulder. His movements caused his towel to fall naturally from around his waist, completely revealing himself to her. Melissa laughed when she heard the towel hit the floor and reached her hands down to give him a quick spank. "Yup. You're naked," she said laughing. Ryan's response was to lift her up and place her down on the bed. Melissa scooted herself back as he stood before her, ready to crawl on top. She kept her eyes locked with his as he scaled up her body. His left hand kept him propped up on the bed as his right locked on to her hip. "Let's skip dinner," she suggested as Ryans hand moved from her hip, slowly up her to breast. She continued her assault on his lips as his hand squeezed her breast in his hand. His fingers worked the flesh searching for her nipple. One discovered, he squeezed it between two fingers eliciting a moan from Melissa.

"Definitely. Let's lose this dress," he said as he fumbled with her belt.

She laughed at how frustrated he was getting. "Relax. I'm not going anywhere," she said, brushing her thumb along his bottom lip. She stood up and removed the belt first before pulling the dress up over her head. All that was left was a pair of black lace panties and a matching strapless bra.

"I've got it from here," Ryan said jumping up from the bed to grab her. She locked her legs around his waist as he picked her up and carried her over to the desk. He pulled the desk chair out of the way and sat her down on the edge. Unable to keep their hands off of each other, they continued with their kissing. Ryan's hands reached around her and unclasped her bra. He quickly tossed it out of the way as his head sunk down to envelope one of Melissa's hard nipples through his mouth. Ryan gently nibbled and sucked on one as his hand massaged the other. Melissa used her hands to steady herself on the desk. Without warning, Ryan's free hand made it's way to the edge of her panties. She leaned back as if she was inviting him to continue.

"Please..." Melissa requested.

Ryan bought his head up to meet hers and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Please what?"

"Please...touch me," she requested.

"Where?" he asked with a grin on his face.

She sighed momentarily, but then agreed to play this game. "Where ever you want," she said.

"No, I want to hear you say it," he said. "Do you want me to touch you here?" he asked, kissing her wrist. She shook her head. "How about here?" He kissed her hip.

"No," she replied.

Ryan sunk to his knees and scooted Melissa to the edge of the desk. He applied a soft kiss on the outside of her panties. "Here?" he asked. She nodded her head. "Are you nervous?" he asked her. She nodded her head again, biting her lip. "Don't be." Ryan hooked his fingers under the sides of her panties and pulled them down to the ground. He placed her right foot on his shoulder, causing her to open herself up to him. Ryan rubbed his thumb over her clit before lowering his head and moving his tongue in the same direction. He could not believe how wet his teasing had made her and he was desperate to taste it all himself. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him; they were also there to help keep her steady. Even though the laps of his tongue were driving her crazy, he needed to give her more. Taking one of his hands away, he slid two fingers inside of her, forcing her to scream and grab the edge of the desk. Melissa tried so hard to keep herself steady that her knuckles were turning white. Feeling Melissa tighten around him, Ryan plunged his fingers in as deep as they would go as his tongue danced circles around her most sensitive area. Melissa slammed her hand down on the desk and yelped as she came hard. Her orgasm consumed her entire body. She grabbed Ryan's other hand in hers and squeezed it as she came down from this blissful state. She leaned back on the desk until her head touched the mirror. He pulled himself up and leaned forward to kiss her, her body still trembling. He kissed down her neck as she regained her composure.

"Oh my god," she finally managed to squeak out. "That was incredible." Ryan ran his thumb over her clit again hoping he could coax out a second orgasm from her, but she shuddered and pushed his hand away. "No, please, not just yet," she breathed out. Ryan sat in the office chair and opened his arms out to her. Melissa slowly pulled herself down off the desk and walked towards him. She smiled slightly before sinking down on her knees between his legs. She kissed the soft flesh just above his hip as her hand gripped on to his shaft. Ryan brushed her hair out of her face, he wanted to watch her. She slowly licked from the base of his cock all the way to the tip, licking the drops of pre-cum up along the way. He was bigger than she as used to and it almost triggered a reflex when she took him inside of her mouth. Ryan moaned at how wet and warm Melissa's mouth was. He again brushed the hair out of face and stared down at her. She looked back up at him, smiling with her eyes. Melissa wanted nothing more in that moment than to please him; thank him for everything he had done for her. She rested her hands on his thighs so she could approach him at a better angle and take him deeper in to her mouth. She pushed his cock over to one side of her mouth and began rubbing her outside of her cheek, creating a whole different feeling entirely for his lover. She had never dared been this adventurous with Stu - he had liked to be in charge, but she felt like her and Ryan were more equals. Equal enough with each other to give and share pleasure.

It had been a few weeks since Ryan had been with anyone. Most men wouldn't consider this a dry spell, but Ryan did. This was also the first meaningful encounter he had had in almost a year. Melissa wasn't like any of the other girls he took home. This was fun for both of them, but it wasn't just fun to him. He'd never felt a strong desire to hang on with any other girl as long as he had with her. Eager t enjoy this, Ryan had a strange request. "Mel, can you slow down a little," he asked.

"Sure," she said after slowly removing him from her mouth. Melissa went on to apply small kisses around the base and head of his shaft. Ryan watched her do these actions with such care. He needed to satiate his desire and be inside of her. These gentle kisses were providing him with the down time he needed so that he didn't instantly explode once he entered her. He placed a hand on her cheek to get her attention and slowly moved it under her chin, coaxing her to stand up. He took her hands and helped guide her to her feet. He kissed her passionately and ran his hand down the front of her breast, squeezing it in his hand at the contact. "You are so beautiful," he whispered against her lips. "I bet you don't even know how beautiful you are." His statement made Melissa blush and pull back momentarily. Ryan smiled at her as he placed his hand on her lower back and gently guided her back towards the bed. Melissa crawled across the spacious king size bed on all fours until she reached the center and turned to face Ryan. He crawled in along side her and placed his hand on her hip, pushing it down towards the mattress. His hand traveled again between her legs, easing them open to him.

"Shit," he murmured. He reached for his wallet on the bed side table and pulled out a condom. He ripped the wrapper open with his teeth and slid the latex down his cock. Ryan settled in between Melissa's legs. Their eyes locked as he slowly entered her for the first time, a smile appearing across her face. Ryan's look of intensity subsided when he saw how relaxed Melissa was in his care. He slowly pulled back and thrust in to her again, filling her deeper than she had ever been before. She puckered her lips in the hope that he would bend down and kiss her. Ryan read her expression correctly and touched noses with hers, briefly, before slipping his tongue in between her lips. Melissa moaned in to his mouth as Ryan's thrusts sped up. Melissa ran her nails gently down Ryan's back, clutching his backside in her hands, coaxing him to push deeper inside of her. Sweat was beginning to form on Ryan's brow as he kept up with the pace he had set. He had a beautiful woman, writhing underneath him.

All Melissa could manage was a flurry of moans and expletives to let Ryan know just how good he felt. She wrapped her hands around his back and rolled him so she was on top. "You deserve a break," she said as she kissed her way down his chest. Melissa sat up and slowly slid herself down on to of Ryan, biting her lip as she readjusted to his size. She felt what she thought was Ryan hitting her g-spot, but she only imagined that is what it was having never felt that sensation before. She used her toes to move herself up and down his hard length, screaming each time he hit her spot. Ryan loved watching Melissa take control. His hands slowly slid up from her thighs to her waist to her beautiful, bouncing breasts. Melissa screamed his name as her eyes slammed shut and the tension of her orgasm traveled up her legs to her center. Ryan, desperate to let go, followed suit sitting up to meet Melissa's gaze just before he finished. He wrapped his arms around her as their hitched breathing started to come back to normal. As Melissa and Ryan engaged in their post coital kiss, Melissa started giggling causing Ryan to laugh as well.

He brushed the hair out of her face. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she managed to whisper between breaths. "That was the most comfortable I've ever felt with anyone before," she said. "Do you want a glass of water?"

"Yeah, you stay here. I'll grab it," he said.

"No, no. Please. Let me get that. I insist." Melissa jumped up off the bed before Ryan had the chance. He watched her walk in to the bathroom. She looked different to him; more confident and absolutely sexy. She flipped her hair on the walk back in the bedroom and Ryan found himself getting hard again at the sight of her. He quickly pulled the sheet up to cover himself as she crawled in to bed with two glasses of water from the bathroom tap. "Here," she said smiling. They both took a sip and placed the cups on their nightstands. Ryan grabbed her and began tickling her, pulling her back down on the bed. She erupted in a fit of laughter. "Ryan! Stop!" she said, tears of joy streaming down her face. He kissed her neck one last time before laying on his back with one hand behind his head. Melissa crept over to him and draped an arm across his chest, cuddling close to him. "Everything about this was perfect."

"Yeah? You really think so?" he asked, a smile plastered on his face. Ryan knew how he felt. And it was perfect.

"Absolutely," she said.

* * *

><p><strong>You're all too kind with your reviews! Thank you so much for sticking with this story. I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I'd love to hear your feedback on this chapter. Any feedback is good feedback to me! <strong>


	32. Logistics

Ryan rolled over and look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 3:45am. They had an hour and 15 minutes to get to the airport to check in on time for their 5:30am flight. One of the downsides of being a WWE Superstar was that they needed to fly early to avoid fans at the airport. WWE fans are dedicated though and Ryanwould still have to contend with a few members of the adoring public before checking in with the airline.

His eyes scanned the bedroom. Melissa's clothing was scattered all over the floor. All the complimentary stationary and brochures were crumpled on the desk. None of their packing had been done the previous tonight so there would be no time to shower. They'd have to head to the airport together smelling of sex.

The bed sheet was wrapped tightly around Melissa's body. She had stolen all the covers over the course of the night. Her greediness didn't bother Ryan, he was always warm when he slept anyway. Ryan watched her chest slowly move up and down. No doubt he had exhausted her with his raucous love making techniques. The harder his lovers slept, the prouder he felt of himself in the morning. Ryan glanced over at the alarm clock. 3:50am. The alarm would be going off in ten minutes. He thought of a better way to wake Melissa up.

He rolled towards her and placed a kiss on her shoulder, but she didn't stir. He smiled knowing that he caused her exhaustion. Ryan's fingers worked the tightly wrapped sheet away from her body. He ran his hand across the cherry blossom branch tattoo on her lower back and wrapped his arm around her stomach as he leaned forward and applied another kiss to her shoulder. "Mel?" he whispered in her ear. Melissa woke up startled, but still sleepy. "We have to get ready to go to the airport soon, sweetie," he whispered. She acknowledged this fact with a soft moan and turned her body in to him. The sheet fell down around her breasts revealing her light pink nipples. Ryan ran a finger over her nipple, which hardened at his touch. He started kissing down her arm.

"Morning," she said smiling. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhmm," Ryan mumbled, continuing his assault on body. His hand wandered up from across her stomach to her breast. The palm of his hand lightly grazed over her hard nipples before squeezing her soft flesh in his hand.

"Should we get ready?" Melissa asked, hoping the answer was going to be no. She loved the attention she was receiving.

"Not just yet," he whispered between kisses. Ryan wrapped his left arm around her upper back and gently pulled her at an angle towards him. His lips pressed against the sensitive spot in her neck causing her to throw her head back and let out a moan. Slowly, Ryan's right hand traveled between her legs. Sensing the direction that he was headed in, Melissa spread her legs for his access. "Good girl," he whispered in her ear. Ryan's finger ran along her slick heat before he gently pushed inside of her. He teased her at first, slowly moving one finger around her. Melissa's body was writhing against him, trying to get him to push his finger back inside of her. She needed more of him.

"Please, Ry," she requested, biting her lip in frustration.

"Shhhh, no talking," he whispered lowly against her ear. He loved driving her wild. He had given her everything the night before and now she craved him. Ryan's fingers softly patted against her clit causing Melissa to thrust her hips in the direction of his hand. "Stop that right now," he whispered in to her ear. His grip across her chest became tighter and he wrapped his right leg across her legs in an attempt to keep her still. She was no match for his much larger frame. Melissa's body relaxed as Ryan's grip loosened. He didn't even need to ask her if she was going to behave; he assumed she had figured out what her punishment would be. Ryan's fingers began dancing around her soft folds, sending waves of pleasure up Melissa's body. She was still mildly sore from the previous nights activities and she shuddered in pain as Ryan forced two fingers inside of her. "If you need me to stop, just tell me, okay?" he again whispered. Each comment in to her ear turned her on more and more. He was in complete control of her, but that comment made her realize that he was invested in only her pleasure. He entwined his right leg around her right ankle and pulled her legs open. He removed his fingers briefly, leaving Melissa panting, wanting more. He licked her juices from them and moaned softly at her taste. He crossed his middle finger over his pointer as though he was illustrating how physically close they were to each other and plunged his fingers back inside of her. He twisted them inside as he sharply pulled them in and out. The grip across her chest even stronger as his fingers pinched her nipples. His thumb began working her clit expertly as his fingers continued searching for her g-spot. "That's it," he whispered as her pants turned to moans. "Let me hear you." That was all the coaxing she needed. Ryan could feel the backs of her thighs tighten against him and her body begin to shake. Her wet slit becoming tighter and more difficult for Ryan to please. Melissa's right hand reached back and gripped his thigh as she came hard against his hand, screaming.. Her back arched as she attempted to slide her body down and press his fingers deeper inside of her. Ryan again tightened his grip across her chest knowing that he needed to illustrate his strength in her moment of vulnerability. To Melissa, it felt like forever for her breath to return to normal. She relaxed in to Ryan's embrace as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

Melissa turned to face Ryan and smiled at the accomplished look on his face. She lowered her mouth to his and turned her body so she was on top of him. Ryan's arms wrapped around her as her hands grabbed his face. He rolled them so he was on top and began kissing down her neck. The alarm sounded. Melissa let out a small whimper. "I don't want to get up," she whined.

Ryan smiled down at her. "We have a plane to catch, sweetie, and we haven't packed a damn thing yet. We can pick up here later tonight."

The thought of engaging in another night of sexual activity with Ryan was exhausting to Melissa. "I still need to take you to dinner tonight," she said getting up from the bed.

"Alright, fine. Sushi sound good?" He pulled a t-shirt down over his head.

"Always," she said. Melissa went in to the bathroom and packed her toiletries while Ryan packed all of their clothing in to their suitcases. He didn't bother to fold anything, but just tossed the articles in to save time.. Melissa tossed her toiletry bag into her suitcase. She laughed at the pile of clothes balled up inside.

"This way we can grab some breakfast downstairs before we leave," he said.

"I would've much rather taken a shower." She pulled her long, brown hair up in to a high pony tail.

Ryan grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. "I like you dirty though," he said, before kissing her hard on the mouth.

* * *

><p>After Ryan dropped her off, Melissa ran in to her apartment to shower quickly before heading off to FCW for a meeting with Ben and Carrie, the Raw costume designer, who had asked to be a part of Melissa's transition process. Melissa knocked on Ben's office door to make her presence known.<p>

"There she is! Come on in, Melissa. Carrie, this is Melissa Anderson. Melissa, this is Carrie Edmonds. Carrie is the designer for Raw. Have a seat," he motioned towards the empty office chair.

"Thanks," Melissa directed at Ben. She turned her attention over to Carrie. "It's very nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," Carrie said, extending her hand while flashing a genuine smile. "It's weird that our paths have never crossed since we both live in Tampa."

Melissa nodded at her statement. "So, what are we here to discuss? My transition plan? What do you need from me?" She was eager to get started and get out on the road.

Ben spoke first. "Well, we were wondering if it'd be okay with you if for the first few weeks Carrie could travel with you just to help you get adjusted and offer any support," Ben said.

"Yeah, sure, that's fine, but I feel bad. I mean, is it necessary?" she asked. "I've done this before."

"We know," Ben said. "It used to be that both costume designers worked both days, but we were thinking that Carrie would stick to Raw, which has the bigger roster, and that you would do Smackdown and the FCW Divas. We're going to be outsourcing all of the men's shorts here from now on."

"Sure. That sounds great. I love working at FCW so this is like the best of both worlds," Melissa said. "Will this start for next Tuesday?" she asked.

Carrie nodded. "Yes. Terri's termination was immediate. We need you to start ASAP."

"Awesome," she said.

"Yeah, we think so," Carrie said. "I'm really looking forward to working with you. I've seen your designs and they really are wonderful."

"Thanks," Melissa said smiling. Even though her employers had been throwing her constant praise, she still was not used to it.

"Okay, so, you will be responsible for booking all your hotels and travel arrangements going forward. Plan to be to the arena by about 11:30am on Tuesday. I'll email you all the upcoming date so that you can make all the arrangements that you need," Ben said.

"Plan all your travel for about six weeks out now and then next week start planning for the next week in the schedule. That's how I do it and it seems to work really well for me. Oh! And get a miles credit card if you don't already have one. You'll need some good luggage as well. And if you need any advise on hotels in different cities, call me up because I can tell you first hand what areas are safe and where you should stay away from," Carrie advised. "It might be hard to find a hotel for next week, so you're more than welcome to crash with me if you like."

"Thanks. That's all super helpful," Melissa began. "I think I'll be staying with my boyfriend on the road though." That was the first time that Melissa referred to Ryan as her boyfriend. Was it too soon?

"Ah, you're making the rounds?" Carrie said with a wink. "Who are you dating?"

Melissa caught herself trying to backtrack. "Oh, uh, Ryan Reeves," she said.

Carrie nodded slowly. "Nice guy," she said turning her attention back towards Ben.

"Melissa's also dated Stu," Ben offered.

Both Ben and Carrie watched Melissa squirm in her seat. "Oh, honey, please," Carrie continued. "I've dated Anthony, Harry, Nic, and Mickie," Ben and Melissa shot her a look. Carrie smiled. "Okay, maybe not Nic," Melissa could tell that she would work well with Carrie. She was friendly, interesting, and seemed to be supportive of Melissa's career. She was the exact opposite of Terri and someone that Melissa could look up to.

"Well, thank you both for your advice. I have some work that I need to get caught up on." She turned her attention to Carrie. "I will see you on Tuesday at 11:30am sharp. I'm really looking forward to this."

* * *

><p>Melissa was at her desk booking hotel flights when there was a knock at her door. She looked up to see Stu Bennett standing in her doorway dressed in his gym clothes with an ice pack wrapped around his left shoulder. She assumed he knew that if he came to her office there was no way she could escape. It was the same tactic employed by Tim and Ryan.<p>

"Hello, Melissa. Do you have a moment?" His tone was serious. The last thing Melissa wanted to deal with now was Stu. She wasn't eager to continue with their conversation from last night. She also didn't want him snooping around in her business.

She leaned back in her seat and it the inside of her cheek. "Sure. Have a seat," she said gesturing towards the open chair. She didn't care how he was or what was on his mind. He'd need to give up that information himself.

"I came by to offer up an apology," he began. "I was acting out of frustration yesterday when I came to your and...Ryan's room last night. I'm sorry for everything, Mel. I'm sorry for not trusting you and not believing you. I know that ultimately everything ended because of me and my actions. I'm a very proud and stubborn man, but I know that I was wrong." Melissa stared at him as he delivered his speech and had to turn away when he seemed to become emotional. Stu was obviously full of regret, but he needed to know exactly where she stood on things.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that you came here on your own to apologize. You know I'm taking over as costume designer on Smackdown." Stu nodded. "I'm really hoping that things will be okay between us."

"I just want you to know that I still love you," he said. His comment took her completely by surprise. "I know you said that there is no chance of us getting back together..."

"That's right," she interrupted.

"...but," he continued. "If that should ever change, I'd love another shot at making it work." He stood up to leave and headed for the door, afraid of what her answer was going to be.

Melissa stood up from her desk. "Stu...wait," she said. "I know you're not a bad person and I do wish that things had worked out between us. I need you to know something though," she hesitated before speaking. "I know you know I'm seeing Ryan. And it's going really well so far. I just don't want you to think that there is the possibility of us getting back together when there isn't." He nodded like he understood. "Let's do the best we can to be friends, okay?" she asked.

"Okay," he whispered. Melissa opened her arms to give him a hug. Stu winced as he moved his shoulder to bent down to engulf her in his arms.

"Thanks for the apology. It really means a lot to me that you felt you needed to do that," she said smiling.

Stu smiled weakly and turned to exit her office, knowing that he had won points with his former girlfriend.

* * *

><p>Melissa and Ryan sat across from each other at Soho Sushi, a huge plate of sashimi and maki rolls between them. Sushi was one of the rare extravagances that both Melissa and Ryan allowed themselves on their strict diets.<p>

"So, tell me your thoughts on the situation with Libya?" Ryan asked. Melissa looked up from her plate, shocked, hoping they really weren't going to go down that road again. Ryan was trying so hard to hide the fit of laughter he was about to break in to at seeing the expression on her face. "I'm kidding, Mel. Tell me about your day?"

She chuckled slightly at her overreaction. "My day was great. I met with Ben and Carrie to go over the logistics of my transition."

"Oh, Carrie was there?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah. You guys good friends?" Melissa asked.

"When I was on Raw we were pretty close. Haven't seen her in forever though," he said.

"She lives here, you know? I'm really hoping that her and I can become close. She'll be coming over to Smackdown for a few weeks to help me out. Best part of all this is that I still get to do some work at FCW. Everyone wins!" Ryan smiled. "I wanted to talk to you about something though," she changed the subject. "Do you...I mean...We're like a couple right?"

Ryan laughed at her awkward questioning. "Yes, Mel. We are a couple."

"And is this something I can tell people?" she asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't you be able to tell people?"  
>"Well. I...I just didn't know if this was a secret or anything," she said.<p>

"Why would it be a secret?" Ryan was forgetting that before Stu, Melissa had never had a relationship with someone that showed the world they wanted to be with her. "I expect you to tell anyone and everyone. You're my girlfriend and that is absolutely no secret." He kicked her foot from under the table. "I don't think I've told you how beautiful you are yet tonight, have I?" Melissa blushed. "We're going to get to the point where you'll be able to thank me for a compliment, Mel. Trust me."

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he said. "Now, let's make that a regular thing."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for all the great reviews on the previous chapter. I promise a little more action and plot (and wrestling!) in the next one. Also, Tim and Stu aren't gone just yet. Please R&amp;R - you're all so wonderful! <strong>


	33. Buttons

"You know, Anderson, I'm not always going to let you tag along like this." Melissa rolled her eyes at Ryan's comment. "What? I'm serious! If you don't do it yourself, you'll never learn."

"Fine. I'll book the next rental car and hotel," she said.

Ryan thought about it. "Nah, I'll do it. You don't know the area's like I do," he said. He pulled in to parking lot of the La Quinta Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Okay, then I'll give you my credit card and you can pay for it," Melissa said.

He shook his head. "It's not about the money, Mel."

Frustrated, Melissa shot back. "Then what is it about?"

"It's about me driving you absolutely crazy on your first night on the road," he smiled in her direction. She punched him playfully in the arm. Ryan had been on the road with both the Raw and Smackdown crews as part of the Raw Super Show. After his match on Raw at the beginning of the night he headed out to grab Melissa at the airport. "Now, do I need to go over etiquette with you?"

"No," Melissa lifted up the trunk and reached in for her bag.

"Okay, number one, no snoring," Ryan began.

Melissa started laughing. "You're the one that snores!"

"Number two, no interrupting and no negative comments about your roommate,'" he continued.

"That's two rules in one rule," Melissa said. She neglected to help Ryan with his bag and took off for the entrance.

"Number three, no correcting my rules," he said chasing after her. "Number four, no running away," he caught up to her and spun her around in to his arms. "And number five, perhaps the most important rule of all," he looked in to her eyes, leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Melissa dropped her suitcase and moved her hands up to his face.

"I like that rule," she said smiling against his lips. Ryan picked her up and spun her around. He tripped on her suitcase and they stumbled down to the ground together, laughing.

Ryan grabbed his ankle. "Oh shit, I think my ankle's messed up," he said, writhing on the pavement in pain. Melissa sat up and moved over towards him in a panic and reached out for his ankle. He screamed when she laid her hands on his leg causing her to jump in shock. He started laughing as she placed her hand on her chest.

"Not funny!" she yelled. "I thought you were seriously hurt!"

He stood up and extended his hand out. "Rule number six. You better prepared because I will be making that joke a lot."

Ryan held the door open for her as they made their way towards the elevator. The doors opened instantly as Melissa pressed the button. "Which floor?"

"Six," Ryan replied. Ryan led the way towards their room and opened the door with his key card. Melissa forged ahead towards her side of the bed and dropped her suitcase on the ground. She was worn out from traveling. The anxiety of making all of her connecting flights had wiped her out. She turned to head towards the bathroom and saw Ryan looking up at her on one knee. A slight panic took over Melissa at the sight of him.

"Did you hurt your knee again?" she asked smiling.

Ryan pulled a long, bracelet sized box out of his pocket. "Melissa Anderson," he began.  
>"Yes," Melissa started laughing uncomfortably at the situation playing out before her.<p>

"Will you re-enforce the stitching on all my vests for me?" Ryan opened the box to reveal and silver seam ripper.

Melissa exhaled the breath she had been holding in and bent down, placing her hands on her knees. She stood up when she regained her composure. "I will," she said walking over to help Ryan up.

"I bought you this for your first day," he said. Melissa took the seam ripper from his hands. He had the date and "Love, Ryan" engraved on the handle. This lovely gesture brought tears to Melissa's eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "This is the most wonderful gift I've received." Ryan used his thumb to wipe away a tear that had cascaded down her cheek.

"I missed you these last few days," he said.

"I really missed you too," she agreed. A wave of guilt spread over Melissa. Ryan was always showering her with gifts and compliments. It was about time that she do the same.

* * *

><p>"I'm so glad that I signed on to be part of your transition process. Raw was crazy busy last night that I didn't get to work on any of my new projects," Carrie admitted.<p>

"It always seemed to me like this worked better as a two person operation," Melissa said.

Carrie unfolded a sheet of vinyl fabric and tore through her sewing box. "I forgot my chalk. I'm going to run out to Jo-Ann's quick and pick some up. It's cool if I leave you here, right?"

"Absolutely. I can handle it," Melissa stated. "Take as long as you need."  
>Carrie grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "If you need to know where something is, call my cell. I have an unorthodox way of organize things."<p>

"I brought my own supplies, Carrie. I'll be fine. Go." Melissa shooed her out of the room quickly so that she could try to complete some of her work without the distraction of Carrie. She scanned the list of requested projects on her to-do list. They were still eight months away from Wrestlemania and already creative was requesting sketches for The Undertaker and a few of the Divas. "Holy shit, The Undertaker," she said out loud to no one.

"Are you feeling the pressure to succeed?" a voice called from the door. Stu Bennett walked in, holding his black wool jacket in his hands.

Melissa sat down behind the sewing machine hoping to create a barrier between them. "I always hated that jacket," she said, swallowing hard.

Stu laughed. "It's all part of the character. And, as you know, my character is a dangerous, manipulative individual," he smirked.

"Aren't these characters that you guys play really just extensions of yourselves?" Melissa fired back.

He wasn't getting the results he wanted from this conversation. "Well, anyway, one of the buttons cracked last night when the jacket fell to the mat in the ring. I need you to replace it for me," he said.

"That I can do," Melissa said as she walked over to Carrie's sewing box. "I'm sure she has extras in here somewhere." Carrie's style had not been unorthodox at all. There was an entire plastic case filled with small plastic bags labeled for each superstar and their piece of clothing. Melissa picked up the one labeled "Wade Barrett - Coat - Wool 2011" and removed one of the five buttons from it's package. "Have to hand it to Carrie. She's going to teach me to be more organized."

"It was never your strong suit," Stu said. He took a seat over by Carrie's machine as he watched Melissa thread the needle. It took her multiple attempts to get the thread through the eye. She could feel Stu's eyes on her and she wanted nothing more than to ask him to leave. He knew he was serving as a distraction. "Do you need any help, love?"

Frustrated, she shot back. "No, I'm fine, Stu. You don't have to stay here and wait for it. Just come back in like 10 minutes or something," she said.

"No, I have the time to wait," he said, leaning back in Carrie's chair. "Why don't you tell me about your life?"

She smiled slightly. "No, that's okay. Let me concentrate on this."

"Alright, then. I'll talk. I painted the bedroom in my house. They're talking about a push for me after my program with Sheamus towards the World Heavyweight Championship." He stood up and moved over towards her. "And I have fucked many, many women since you've been gone, Mel." She stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "Do you like hearing that?" He smirked and squatted down next to her. "Do you like hearing that I make other women feel that way I used to make you feel?" He whispered in to her ear. "They scream my name, Melissa. They beg for more." She closed her eyes and swallowed hard as she felt him coming close to her. He brushed the hair behind her ear. "Is that how Ryan makes you feel?" He stood up and walked behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Does he make you feel as good as I used to?"

"Please don't do this," the words escaped her mouth as she breathed outwards; her shoulders tensing under his touch.

"Do what, love?" he said, massaging her tense shoulder muscles in his hands. Melissa was afraid to move. She closed her eyes hoping that her stillness would cause him to take a hint and disappear. His long fingers traveled past her shoulders and down to the tops of her breasts. "If you didn't want me to do this, you would've stopped me by now. Wouldn't you?" Melissa should have stopped him, but for whatever reason she was powerless to his advances. Stu knew full well he could easily take advantage of her. Testing the waters was dangerous, but it was obvious to him that she still had feelings for him. After all, she had put up with Tim's shit for while. Stu was one of the few men in her life that had ever showered her with positive attention. Taking it away from her must have driven her crazy. Stu's fingers dipped underneath the lacy fabric of her bra and rubbed circles across the fatty tissue of her breasts. Crouching down, he pressed his lips to her ear. She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Whenever you're ready, Melissa..."

Melissa felt him leave the room. For a split second she had wished that he didn't stop. That his hands had continued their descent to feel how hard her nipples had become under his touch and commands. She picked up the needle and thread between her fingers and again attempted to combine them together to fix the buttons on his jacket.

"Forgot my car keys," Carrie shared as she opened the door to their office. "I always do that! I make sure I have my house keys, but I leave my rental keys anywhere. Senior moment, you know?" Carrie glanced over at Melissa and could tell that something was wrong. "Everything okay, Mel?"

Melissa snapped out of her funk. "Huh? Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry, I think my lunch didn't agree with me. I'm just going to go for a quick walk and get some air," she said, slowly standing up.

Carrie was concerned. "Okay. Do you need me to finish this?" She picked up Stu's jacket from the table.

She wanted to ask Carrie to do it. Melissa wanted nothing to do with Stu at this moment in time. No contact, no clothing repairs, nothing, but she could not ask Carrie to do her job for her. She needed to prove to Carrie that she could handle the responsibilities. "No, I just need to sew a button back on for him. I'll be right back." She quickly made her way out the door and in to the hallway where she was greeted by Ryan.

"There she is! How is the first day going?"

Melissa faked her excitement. "Good! I, uh, I don't think lunch agreed with me. I was about go to get some air," she said. "Want to join me?" Melissa wanted Ryan to say no in the worst way.

"Sure. I wanna hear all about it. How's Carrie?" he asked.

Ryan had a way of putting Melissa at ease. The guilt of her interaction with Stu was starting to subside. "She's good. A great mentor and she's been letting me do my own thing, which is awesome."

"Yeah, she's awesome," Ryan added. "Very few people in this world are more wonderful than her," he said.

"Otherwise, I have to sew a button on Stu's jacket." She shrugged. "That's pretty much it," she said.

"Ah, so you had to see Stu. How did that go?"

Melissa shrugged. "Fine."

Ryan could tell when she was lying. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," she said smiling, but inside she was eager to change the subject. "Look, Ryan, I wanted to thank you again for that gift. You're so thoughtful and wonderful. I want to do something special tonight."

"In Nashville?" he asked.

"Well, yeah or tomorrow night at home. Anyway, you deserve a night that's just for you. Can I treat you to that?"

She had piqued his interest. "What do you have in mind?"

"Lot's of surprises," she said.

They made their way back to her make shift office backstage. "I like surprises." Ryan wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Excuse me, but is my jacket ready?" a booming English voice resonated through the cinder block halls of the arena. Stu was walking back towards them to retrieve what was his.

"Almost," Melissa fired back. "I should go," she directed at Ryan. "Things are going to get weird later," she winked and turned towards the door.

Ryan laughed at her comment. "How weird?"

"Really freak-ay" she said laughing. Melissa was too much for him sometimes.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to kizzyfur, moxxie23, hotpocketbandit, and alana2awesome for the reviews. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts about the story. I love the feedback so please continue to let me know what you think! And also, thank you guys for being so patient while I was on vacation.<strong>


	34. Let's Make Our Own Story

"It's about time," Stu said, yanking the jacket off the table. This wasn't about the jacket, it was about seeing her with Ryan. Being apart from Melissa was much harder than Stu had anticipated. He had always prided himself on being emotionally resilient, but this one hurt. If he only knew then what he knew now. Melissa was right. Terri had stolen her ideas. And it was Ryan, not Stu, that had helped Melissa. He had the chance to be the hero, but he failed.

Melissa rolled her eyes at his bad attitude. She should have known that working with him was going to be a disaster. "I'm sorry. The other buttons were loose, so I took a few extra minutes to fix those ones as well." Melissa was trying. She knew Stu Bennett well and this catching more flies with honey routine she was doing was going to make him feel guilty about the way he spoke to her. "If there is anything else I can do to be helpful, let me know. I want to make sure you and everyone else on the roster looks their best out there."

A sigh of regret pushed through Stu's lips. The whole reason he broke up with Melissa was because he didn't want to be associated with the drama. Yet, here he was trying to make her life a living hell backstage. He didn't need that reputation following him around. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said, walking back towards her machine. "If you need anything else, come see me. I'm more than happy to help. And, as long as you don't scream at me like Johnny Curtis did, we'll be okay."

Stu laughed. "What was he going on about?"

"Well, I was trying to do the buttons on your jacket, but he insisted that I fix the lining in his spare shorts immediately because he wanted to leave after his dark match. Obviously, he wasn't thrilled with your buttons being more important." Melissa was doing an excellent job of showing Stu that his presence had virtually no affect on her. Those five minutes she spent with Ryan reassured her that Stu ending their relationship really was for the best. Her flippant nature towards Stu had stirred something in him. This new found confidence that she exhumed was such a turn on to him.

His eyes met with hers. He took a step toward her. She took a step back. He took yet another step forward. She took another step back. This continued until Melissa was pressed up against the back wall of the make shift office she shared with Carrie. "Mel..." he whispered softly as he bent down towards her, his soft lips searching for hers.

She turned her head to the side. "I told you not to try to win me back." Stu's head sunk down in defeat as Melissa slipped out between him and the wall and walked towards the door. With her head held high, Melissa walked through the backstage area, quietly nodding at the other WWE employees she passed by. She wasn't upset about what happened, she just needed to hide for a moment and out of all the places in that arena, the one place Stu Bennett couldn't go to was the ladies room. Melissa picked the handicapped stall at the end of the row as her hide out spot. She pressed her forehead against the back of the stall door, the cool metal of the door on her skin helped to relieve her headache.

For the first time in her life, Melissa was in love with two men.

* * *

><p>Tim and Ryan sat in the stands of the arena watching the Diva's run through their match. "I have an idea," Tim said. He had piqued Ryan's interest. It was not often that Tim had an idea. "I think we should use social media to try to get ourselves over."<p>

Ryan laughed at the idea. "You young kids and your twitters. How is this going to work?"

"Well,we just start communicating and forming an alliance online. We can take jabs at Stu and anyone else we feel like. It'll get the people interested in us." Tim continued. Ryan was skeptical. "Look, both you and I know what all these internet marks are like. I mean, look at what happened to Zack Ryder. He's getting a shot at the US title. Six months ago you would've said that the kid would be future endeavored or whatever bullshit title the WWE brass are giving it now." Tim now had Ryan's attention. "And the best part is that we can pick our opponents. We can work with the people we want to work with."

Ryan nodded. "Alright. I'm in. Let's work with Stu and TJ."

Tim smiled. "I was thinking the same thing. I already talked to both of them about it and they're on board. Let's have a strategy session when we get back to Tampa."

* * *

><p>"I feel like all we do is drive." Melissa was staring out of the passenger side window, watching all the open fields of farm land pass them by.<p>

Ryan scoffed. "You don't do any of the driving."

"You won't let me!" Melissa shouted in a hilarious frustration. She loved the way that Ryan teased her. His gentle, verbal jabs at her showed her that he was still interested.. Melissa looked over to see him smiling at her; realizing he had got the best of her again. "I'm not a bad driver either," she protested.

"No, you're right. You just have a lead foot. How many speeding tickets have you got since you moved to Florida?"

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Just one. The other three were for running red lights."

"Jesus," he said. "You need to learn how to relax."

"I know how to relax," she snapped back. She had proven his point. He shot her a knowing look before turning in to the Enterprise parking lot. "I'm just happy to be going home." Melissa reached over and massaged Ryan's neck in her hands. She leaned in close. "And, I'm happy that tonight is going to be all about you." She kissed his ear.

"Oh, fuck. That's right!" Ryan exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Mel. I forgot we were going to do that."

Melissa was visibly disappointed. "Right. Okay. Do you have something planned?"

"Tim had this great idea for us to build our own angle. Help to get us and some of the underused guys over. We're having a planning season at my apartment tonight."

"How are you guys going to build your own angle?" Melissa asked. She was just as skeptical as Ryan was when Tim first approached him.

"Through twitter," he said. "I've got to be honest. I have no idea what I'm doing." She laughed. Ryan was really like an old man sometimes. "I've heard that I can use it on my phone though. Isn't it just a website?"

"We'll work on it," she said through her smile. Other than cooking, technology was the only other leg up she had on him.

"Any chance I could persuade you to whip up some treats?" he asked. "And then, when everyone leaves, we can do whatever it is that you've planned."

Melissa shrugged. "I just planned steak and sex."

Ryan placed his hand on her knee. "You know me far too well."

* * *

><p><strong>Very quick, very overdue update! I promise the next chapter will have all the drama and intrigue that you have come to expect for me. Per usual, I love, appreciate and respect your feedback. So, lay it on me. Hope everyone is enjoying the fall!<strong>


	35. Strategy

"Smells real good out there!" Ryan yelled to Melissa from the bathroom. "Mushrooms?"

"Yup! Mushroom risotto, kale chips, and some spinach and squash pizza for good measure." Ryan had asked Melissa to come over and prepare some snacks for the impending brainstorming session.

Ryan snaked his arms around her waist. "I appreciate you doing this for me," he said. He kissed her neck as his hands fiddled with the straps of her apron. "So, you know how later tonight is all about me?" She nodded as he continued applying kisses down her jaw line. "Just wear this little number, okay?"

There was panic in her voice. "Only the apron?"

He broke away from her and popped a kale chip in to his mouth. "Yes, ma'am."

Melissa shrugged. "Okay." There was no reason to protest. Melissa felt more comfortable around Ryan than she had around anyone else. She didn't feel the need to worry about displaying any flaws or imperfections to him, he loved her all the same.

Ryan leaned back against the counter and picked up a handful of chips. "Really? You're not going to fight me on this one?"

"No, if it's what you want." She took his face in her hands. "Now stop eating all the food before everyone gets here."

He popped another chip in to his mouth and she put up her finger as a warning. Just as Ryan was about to punish her for putting him in his place, the doorbell rang. Ryan made his way over to the door.

"Brought some beer!" Tim entered the threshold and placed his six pack of beer on the counter. "Mel, looking lovely as always."

She blushed at his comment. "Well, well, well, Mr. Drake. Aren't we in an exceptionally happy mood today?"

"I met someone," Tim shared while surveying the food. "A lady."

"Do tell," Melissa encouraged.

Tim sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. Melissa quickly swatted his feet away. "Her name is Ashley. We met earlier today at Hyde Park House."

Melissa cracked up. "Today? And you're already in love?"

"Whoa! I never said I was in love. Just in like." He popped a kale chip in to his mouth. "Oh wow. I haven't had these in forever."

"Ladies, do you think we could get started?" Ryan interrupted.

"And by started you mean tell you what twitter is?" TJ commented.

Melissa and Tim laughed at his remark, but Ryan was not amused. "He asked me if it was at all connected to AOL," Melissa added as the doorbell rang again. She opened the door and turned to see Stu Bennett standing in the doorway. Suddenly, her smile faded. Ryan should have told her that Stu would be there.

"Well, hello, sweetheart. All moved in are we?" he said, his lips curled in to his signature cocky smile. "Are you going to invite me in?" Melissa stepped to the side as Stu passed. "Gentlemen, let's create a program shall we?"

Melissa searched Ryan's bedroom for the remote control to his television. If she didn't want to hear about what they were planning, then she needed to block out the noise coming from the kitchen. Stu's booming voice in particular resonated off of Ryan's walls causing her to cringe. Patting the sheets and checking under the bed yielded no results. She carefully and quietly opened his nightstand drawer finding the remote in the process, but something else caught her eye. "What the?" she mumbled to herself. Underneath the remote was a small jewelry box. She felt her heart race as she toyed with the idea of opening it up. Melissa loved surprises and she didn't want to set up any expectations, but at the same time, how could she not open it? She listened to the boy's conversation intently before prying the small box open. She was relieved and disappointed with what she found inside. An oval cut blue sapphire was staring her in the face. Melissa had to laugh at herself. She knew it was far too soon for her and Ryan to get engaged to each other. There was a knock on the door and she struggled to put the box back inside before the door opened.

"Oh, sorry," Stu said. "I thought this was the bathroom."

Melissa couldn't help but crack a smile. "You've been here a million times. You know where the bathroom is, Stu. Don't give me that crap."

Stu chewed the inside of his cheek. He quickly shut the door and stood in front of Melissa at the foot of the bed. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you." She breathed deeply. Stu had no right being in Ryan's room with her. "Can we talk?"

"What do you want from me?" Melissa was not amused with the game Stu was playing. She stood up and moved to face him at the foot of the bed. "You're so hot and cold. One minute you're telling me you can't live without me and miss me and then the next you're going on about all your conquests and making me feel bad about the first truly healthy relationship I have ever had!" Stu stared down at her petite frame. Her eyes met his and she could see the hurt behind them. Stu knew he made a mistake by ending things with her, he just needed to show her how sorry he was.

"I'm sorry, Mel. I never should have ended it," he said. Melissa felt as though she was frozen in time. She hadn't seen him this distraught before. "I can't sleep."

"That's nothing new." Melissa laughed. Everyone knew Stu battled insomnia. He took a step closer to her and put his hands on her waist. "What are you doing?"

Stu leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against hers. "Whatever it takes." Stu hovered momentarily waiting for permission from Melissa. She pulled back briefly, her eyes scanning his face. She shook her head in disbelief at what was happening. Looking back up at him, her nose touched his and a familiar warm feeling flushed over her body. Everything about Stu was the same. His touch, his smell, his speech. That was what was worry some. He was the same man that broke her heart weeks ago, but that didn't stop Melissa from still harboring those same feelings for the Englishman.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I have to, uh, go to the grocery store...snacks. We need more snacks."

Stu moved a hand to her face. She fought eye contact, but eventually gave in. "No, you don't." His advances were too much for her to resist. Melissa knew if she stood there for a second longer she would give in to temptation. And that is exactly what happened. She quickly moved her hands around his neck and pulled him towards her, roughly kissing him on the lips. His hands squeezed her sides as her hands moved down from his neck to his chest.

"I love you," she breathed against him.

Stu responded favorably. "I lov-"

Melissa pulled away "No. Oh shit. Fuck!" She paced towards the window.

Stu glanced at the bedroom door. "Mel, keep your voice down."

"I can't believe...What are we...You need to leave." She turned her back towards him. Stu didn't need to say anything. She already knew how he felt and, thanks to the moment, he knew her true feelings as well. She heard the bedroom door shut behind her. Melissa plunked down on the edge of the bed and turned the television off. She ran her hand over her face as tears formed in her eyes. "Fuck..."

"Hey man! We thought you fell in!" She heard Tim yell from the kitchen.

She grabbed her purse and headed into the living room. "Hey Ry, I'm just going to grab some things from the store for later. Does anyone need anything?" She glanced over at Stu, who was fighting making eye contact with her and looking incredibly guilty.

"Nope. Just you back in one piece," Ryan responded. Mel picked her keys up off the coffee table and headed towards the door. "Since when don't we kiss each other goodbye?" Ryan asked.

"Gross," Tim whispered in TJ's direction.

Melissa turned and smiled. "Just kidding," she said as she bent down and placed a kiss square on his lips. Stu had already moved in to the kitchen, away from watching their awkward affection for each other unfold.

"Love you!" Ryan called out to her.

"Love you, too" Melissa needed to get out of that apartment as soon as possible. She knew if she turned around to talk to Ryan, she would start crying again, or worse - disclose what had just happened in his bedroom.

Stu walked back in to the living room with four beers. "You bought shit beer, mate," he directed at Tim.

"I'm not at your level yet. All I can afford is Bud Light," Tim shot back.

"Okay, look, I think there needs to be some real conflict here," TJ said. "Is it possible for us to revisit the Nexus angle?"

Ryan leaned forward. "How so?"

"Well," TJ continued. "There had always been this assumption that Stu left you in Hawaii when you broke your ankle. Could you be seeking revenge?" Stu and Ryan looked at each other. Stu was lost in his thoughts. His thoughts about Melissa. "Stu?"

Stu blinked back in to reality. "Hmm?"

"TJ was saying that maybe we could bring back the Nexus angle. Talk about how you screwed Ryan over when he broke his ankle," Tim said.

"That's a good place to start," Stu said.

"Now, where do I fit in to all this?" Tim asked. He was still always out for his best interested.

"Stu was your mentor. Obviously you'd like to help Ryan exact revenge on him for beating the living crap out of you."

"And you?" Ryan asked.

"Well, I'm just aligning with Stu." He pointed to Ryan and Stu. "If you two just start barking at each other on twitter and Tim jumps your defense, I can come to Stu's. It's just heels supporting heels and faces supporting faces."

"It's brilliant," Tim said.

"This was easier than I thought," Ryan said.

"Now we just need to show you how to use twitter," Tim said throwing one of Melissa's kale chips in his direction.

"What do you think, Stu? Stu?" All three men stared at Stu waiting for some sort of reply. He was staring at a tiny crumb on the coffee table completely lost again in his thoughts.

"Brilliant. I think it's brilliant. Should we get this thing going now?" Stu asked, reaching in his pocket to pull out his phone.

"I think Ryan should start," TJ suggested. "Tweet something like 'I'm stronger than I've ever been before. I'm ready to handle some unfinished business.'"

Ryan sat down at his computer and pulled up twitter's website. "Yeah, that's good. Now, someone please show me how to use this thing."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for your patience, everyone! I've been struggling a little bit as to where to take this story but I have a good idea - I think! Any and all feedback is welcome. I love hearing what you all have to say. Also, check out my other stories I've completed in the meantime. I'd love some feedback on those as well! <strong>

**Happy Thanksgiving!**


	36. Trunk

SkipSheffield: _I'm stronger than ever. It's time to take care of some unfinished business, wadebarrett._

WadeBarrett _I don't respond well to threats. RT SkipSheffield_: _I'm stronger than ever. It's time to take care of some unfinished business, WadeBarrett._

WWETimDrake: _WadeBarrett What's the matter, Barrett? CHICKEN? _

WadeBarrett: SkipSheffield WWETimDrake _Anytime, any place, gentlemen. The #BarrettBarrage is always ready to claim it's next victim_

* * *

><p>The plastic bags rattled against the door as Melissa returned to Ryan's apartment. The apartment was dark except for one lamp on in his living room and the glows from the television and the lap top screen. Melissa placed the bags on the kitchen table and walked over to Ryan, who was busy hammering away on his lap top on the couch. "Hey. I've never seen you before with glasses on. You look adorable." Standing behind him, she wrapped her arms around his chest and applied a kiss to his cheek. Her hands moved to work the tense muscles in his shoulders. "Should I start dinner?"<p>

"Hmm? Uh, yeah. Go ahead," he dismissed her request.

"Everything okay?" she asked. A wash of guilt spread over her face. It was almost as if he knew exactly what had happened between her and Stu earlier in the day.

Ryan didn't look up from his computer. "Yeah, babe. Everything is fine. I'm just trying to understand this twitter thing. Tim and Stu are really going at it and I'm finding it hard to keep up." Melissa kissed his cheek again and headed in to the bedroom emerging minutes later standing only in her apron. She stood behind the computer screen hoping that he would look up and see her standing before him exactly as he had requested. She cleared her throat a few times. "Hmm?" His eyebrows arched in her direction, but his eyes never left the screen.

"Well..." she threw her hands up at her sides hoping to coax his attention towards her.

Ryan looked up at her and was taken aback. "Oh, shoot, Mel. I'm sorry I got all caught up in this thing." He placed his lap top down on the coffee table and moved over towards her. "I'm still kinda full from all the snacks you made earlier. Can we do this another night?"

Melissa breathed an internal sigh of relief. Her heart was not invested in being with Ryan at this moment in time. She wanted nothing more than to go home and climb in to her bed alone. Alone with her thoughts, alone with her guilt. "Sure. I know you're busy. Why don't I let you work on this and I'll see you tomorrow?"

They were interrupted by Ryan's phone vibrating on the coffee table. He walked over and looked at the screen. "Sorry, Mel, I have to take this. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

><p>With a glass of wine in hand, Melissa sat curled up on her couch staring blankly at the television. It was just serving as background noise to her. Her thoughts were consumed by her kiss with Stu and Ryan's strange behavior that evening. She picked up her phone and logged in to twitter hoping that the banter between the boys would help her forget about her own feelings she was having. She first scanned through Ryan's twitter feed.<p>

SkipSheffield: _"I'm not afraid of anything anymore, WadeBarrett. Least of all you and this so-called "Barrage." _

SkipShefflied: _WWETimDrake Looks like we're both after the same thing here: retribution. _

SkipSheffield: _CarrieSews I have something special for you next time I see you. _

Melissa paused at the last tweet. She knew CarrieSews was her costume counterpart, Carrie. She glanced at Carrie's timeline.

CarrieSews: SkipSheffield Oh, I hope it's big and shiny!

Carrie Sews: _I'm the happiest I've been in a long, long time. Thanks, babe! xoxo_

Melissa tossed the phone across the couch. She didn't like the direction these tweets were making her thoughts head in. She nibbled on her finger nails in contemplation. Either Ryan was the dumbest person in the world and didn't know how to use twitter or he thought Melissa was the stupidest person in the world.

* * *

><p>Ryan, Melissa and Tim drove in silence to the arena from the hotel. For the sake of kayfabe, Ryan invited Tim to join them in their rental. When Ryan had presented the idea to Melissa she had no objections and was actually relieved. Tim was boisterous and could talk about nothing for hours. It gave Ryan someone else to focus on while she napped in the backseat.<p>

Once they arrived at the arena, Melissa jumped out of the car first to start gathering the luggage. "Where'd Ryan go?"

Tim looked around the parking lot. "Uhh...there." He pointed over towards Carrie's rental car. Ryan was helping her get the bags out of the trunk. "What are they? Old friends or something?"

Melissa shrugged. "Yeah. I guess."

"Am I sensing a bit of..." Tim wafted his hands through the air as though he was trying to smell Melissa's feelings. "...Jealousy?"

"Shut up. No. Carrie's a nice person. I'm sure they're just...friends or something." Both Melissa and Tim watched the couple as Carrie threw her arms around Ryan.

Ryan came trotting back over to his rental car, a grin stretched ear to ear. He reached for Melissa's bag in the trunk. "Mel, let me get that for you."

Melissa ripped the bag from the bag of the car. "No. Thanks. I got it," she responded without looking at him. She dragged her luggage and made her way to the arena, not once looking back in the direction of her traveling companions.

"What was that about?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know, man. Women, I guess," Tim responded scratching his head.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the hiatus. Been very busy with the holidays, working, and caring for a sick kitty. I'm just doing my part to set up a little more drama here. Thanks to everyone who reads this story and reviews it! I love hearing what you have to say and I have a new story in the works. Wade Barrett is the featured superstar - of course :) Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a great start to 2012!<strong>


	37. Be Careful

Melissa rifled through her suitcase looking for her hand needles. Matthew, also known as Zack Ryder, had just popped in with one of his Broski headbands. "The elastic is coming off, Mel. Do you have a moment to reattach it?" When she agreed, he handed her a stack of five more and flashed her an embarrassed smile. If he wasn't such a great guy, Melissa would've kicked him out of the office, but she pretended to ring his neck just for fun.

"Sorry I'm late," Carrie said strolling in. "My flight was delayed and I didn't get a chance to have something to eat before coming here." She placed a salad that she had picked up in catering down on one of the empty tables. "What are you working on? Let me guess...Matt's headbands?"

"How'd you know?" Melissa sighed.

Carrie laughed. "He tried to get me to do them last week but I only got through a few. Didn't help that he came to me about ten minutes before I started packing up. Some people, you know?" Carrie picked up her fork and dipped in to her salad. It was then that Melissa was drawn to an object on Carrie's hand. The sapphire ring that she had found in Ryan's nightstand now adorned her right ring finger. "Anyway, I heard Ryan and Stu are trying to get a twitter angle started. How do you feel about that? Mel?"

Melissa had to snap back in to reality. "Oh, I'm fine with it. Whatever helps Ryan's career, you know?" Melissa said trying not to stare at the bright blue object.

"Yeah. He's doing well. This is the best shape I've ever seen him in," Carrie said, taking another bite. "I mean...he's just worked so hard to get back to this. It's amazing everything he's gone through."

Melissa nodded. She knew if she spoke, she would just start screaming. She gathered all of Matt's headbands and walked towards the door. "I'm going to go delivery these. The colors are giving me a migraine."

Carrie laughed. "I promise I'll be all set up and ready to help by the time you get back." She shoveled another bite of salad in to her mouth.

"No worries. Take your time. I'm going to swing by catering too. That salad looks good." Melissa just needed more time to sort through her thoughts. Everywhere she went she faced with her romantic situation. As soon as she turned the corner she came face to face with Stu Bennett. Melissa rolled her eyes.

Stu smiled at her reaction. "What's wrong?" Stu asked. "Not happy to see me yet?"

Melissa dismissed his question. "Oh, it's nothing. It's...not about you." She looked up at Stu. He was waiting patiently for her response; his request was sincere. Melissa had a hard time hiding her emotions and Stu knew that. "I think Ryan gave Carrie a ring."

Stu looked confused. "A ring?"

"Like an engagement ring or just a really nice ring. I don't know," she said. Stu was taken aback by her reaction. Usually in situations like this Melissa cried, but she just looked confused. Stu didn't have the heart to tell her that he was aware that Ryan and Carrie had been involved at one point.

"Obviously you're a state," Stu began. "Why don't we grab dinner or a drink after the show?'

Melissa took a step back and shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea right now."

"Let me know if you change your mind." He placed his hand on his chest. "If there is anything I can do, lend a ear, whatever, you just let me know, darling."

TJ Wilson's voice resonated off the concrete walls. "Stu! We need to do our pre-tape promo!"

Stu stumbled over his words. "I'm sorry, I...I have to go."

Melissa nodded at Stu freeing him from their conversation. "I'll meet you at your rental car after the show." Stu smiled at her acceptance of his offer. She turned and walked towards catering, where she knew she would find Ryan. How was she ever going to convince him to let her go out after the show with Stu? She quickly surveyed the circular tables set up backstage and found Ryan eating along side Heath and Tim. Quietly, she strolled up to the edge of the table. All three men were surprised to see Melissa standing before them. Generally, she was too shy to talk to anyone else at the WWE. Between her fault out with Stu and the issues surrounding Terri, she now found it best to hide in her office or behind Ryan. "Hey guys, how's the food? Good?" Three men with full mouths nodded their heads in agreement that the food was delicious. "Ry, Stu asked me if I would have a drink with him after the show tonight. I'm thinking of going. I know you've been working with him a lot lately and..."

"Yeah, Mel, that's fine," Ryan said between bites.

"Really?" she asked. Ryan's flippancy was confusing to Melissa.

"Yeah, sure. If you feel like this is something you need to do, then do it." He flashed her a smile before looking back down at his plate of food. Melissa shot Tim a confused look, but he shrugged in response.

"Okay. I'll meet you back at the hotel later then?"

Ryan smiled. "Definitely." He looked to Tim and Heath. "Well, fellas, that frees me up for a boys night."

"Everyone wins," Melissa smiled. She bent down and kissed Ryan on the cheek. "Thank you for being so understanding."

Ryan held her face in his hand and whispered in her ear. "I trust you. Please be careful."

* * *

><p><strong>Quick chapter - I promise the next one will be much, much longer. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! As always, I love to know what you think and what your predictions are :) Have a wonderful weekend! I'll have another update soon. <strong>


	38. Parking Lot

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Melissa apologized wheeling her suitcase out to Stu's rental. "It took me longer to pack up than normal. People love to grab you for something at the last possible second."

Stu was leaning against the back of his rental car posting his latest twitter update to Ryan. "I didn't think you were going to show up," he said.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Me neither. Let's get this over with." She put her bag in the trunk and walked towards the passenger side.

Stu was already frustrated with Melissa's attitude and they hadn't even left the parking lot of the arena. With her arms folded across her chest, Melissa stared out the window in silence. "What's the matter with you?" It was so rare that Stu got to spend time alone with Melissa. He needed to make the most of it.

"What happened the other night at Ryan's cannot under any circumstances happen again. Ever." Melissa spoke clearly and slowly in attempt to make sure her point was heard. "I can't lose him."

"From the looks of things you've already lost him," Stu said under his breath. Melissa shot him a nasty look. "Oh come on, sweetheart. Don't tell me that you don't see what's going on now."

Melissa dismissed his comment and turned back to look out the window. "I don't have any concrete answers." Melissa shot back. Stu pulled off the road in to an empty parking lot of an abandoned restaurant. "What are you doing?" Melissa panicked. This was not part of their plan.

"What more proof do you need?" he shouted. " You even said it yourself. He gave her a ring. Don't be so naive!"

"Yeah, but...," Melissa interrupted.

"No! Whatever you're thinking, no," he responded. "Look," he softened his tone. "Obviously there is something going on there. What do you intend to do about it?" Melissa shrugged. Stu ran his fingers through his hair. "I never would've cheated on you."

"You can't say he's cheating," Melissa said.

"Why do you keep defending him?" Stu asked, growing frustrated again.

"Because he is the best thing that's ever happened to me! I have no reason to doubt him!" she said.

"I used to be the best thing that ever happened to you!" Stu replied.

"You were. And you broke my heart. Repeatedly." Melissa began to cry.

Stu licked his lips in hesitation. He knew what he was about to say was going to sting. "Are you crying over me or Ryan?"

She tried to hold back her tears. "Stu...don't..."

"Me or Ryan?" he asked again.

Melissa bit her lower lip. "I can't answer that," she said. Stu reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. Melissa grabbed his hand and pressed a small kiss to it. Stu took this as a sign and leaned forward and kissed her softly on her lips. Melissa didn't fight him off. Grabbing his face, she savagely attacked him.. She forgot about Ryan. She forgot about Carrie and the ring. Melissa grabbed the hem of Stu's shirt and tried to pull it up over his head, but his hands stopped her.

He yanked her shirt up over her head and cupped her breasts through her bra. She ran her fingers through his hair. He had let his hair grow out over the past few months and the curls began to show as she ruffled up his slicked back 'do. Melissa climbed on to Stu's lap, her rear hitting the horn on the steering wheel. Neither of them noticed. Stu reached down and feverishly unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, their lips never once separating. Stu forcefully pushed his hand down her underwear and slid a finger inside of her. She moaned and threw her head back at his touch. He kissed the tops of her breasts and bit her nipple through the sheer material of her bra as she bucked against his hand. Stu couldn't stand the sight of this woman being on top of him without being inside of her. Just as he was about to make a demand, Melissa tightened around his fingers, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as her orgasm took over all her control. She pressed her lips against his as she came down; their noses lightly touching as her breathing regulated.

"Get in the backseat," he ordered. Melissa was taken aback by his interruption, but slowly opened the passenger side door and climbed in to the back where the Englishman met her. Melissa sheepishly lay down in the back seat as Stu tore her jeans from her body. He unzipped his pants and released himself from his boxers. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back up towards him.

Melissa straddled Stu's lap and slowly slid down the length of him. She bit down on her lower lip. She hadn't forgotten what Stu felt like, but she had grown accustomed to Ryan. Stu held her close as her body slid up and down his length provoking moans from both of them. He placed kisses on her shoulder and neck, determined to taste as much of her as he possibly could. One look in to her eyes was all it took to send Stu over the edge.

A low growl emminating from his chest signaled his completion. "Sorry," he whispered as he relaxed against the back of the seat. "It's been a while."

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "I thought you were with all kinds of women."

"I lied," he said.

"Well, that wasn't very nice now, was it?" she said, smoothing his hair back down with her fingers. There was no way they could return to the hotel looking such a state. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips before moving to sit next to him. The silence between them was killing her. "We should probably head back to the hotel." Stu nodded and pulled his boxers and pants back up. Melissa's eyes searched the floor of the car for her shirt.

"It's in the front seat," Stu said. He leaned forward between the seats and handed Melissa her shirt.

"Thank you," she said. "We can't..."

Stu sighed. "I know." He placed a hand on her knee.

Melissa smirked. "What?"

"We belong together," he said. "I think you have some thinking to do." He opened the passenger door and stepped outside, pacing back and forth.

"Shit..." Melissa mumbled under her breath. She opened the door and walked over to him. He turned his back to her. "I know I need to figure this out. And I will. Please be patient with me."

"Is that the best you can do right now?" he asked.

"Yes." She reached out for him, squeezing his arm.

Stu turned and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Let's get you back to the hotel."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews everyone! Please let me know what you think! :)<strong>


	39. The Ring

The scalding hot water of the shower cascaded down Melissa's back. She was determined to wash every trace of Stu off of her body. When they had returned to the hotel, she saw Ryan and Carrie drinking together in the hotel bar. The way Carrie flipped her hair back as she laughed at every word coming out of Ryan's mouth made Melissa sick to her stomach.

Melissa and Stu barely spoke on the drive back to the hotel. Stu could not pressure her anymore in to making a decision. He knew she needed time, but the look on her face when she saw Ryan and Carrie in the bar was heartbreaking. On the elevator ride up to her room he reassuring squeezed her shoulder, letting her know that he was there for her regardless of her what her decision was. He wanted to do more, but he couldn't. She needed to work this out on her own. Stu exited the elevator a few floors below Melissa. She breathed deeply as he brushed past her.

"I'm in room 608 if you need me," he said. He reached out for her and brushed his hand down the side of her face. She nodded slightly and kept her gaze focused on the ground.

Melissa knew she was in trouble and that the impending conversation was going to have severe consequences. She lathered up a small dollop of hotel shampoo in her hair as she thought of what to say. Everything would've been great had she not found that ring in the first place. She chastised herself for being so nosy and careless; for jumping to conclusions. Ryan had been nothing short of a perfect boyfriend up until that moment. She turned the water off and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body. She walked into the room and saw Ryan sprawled out on the bed with one arm resting behind his head.

"Hello gorgeous," he said as he looked over at her. "Everything go okay with Stu tonight? Are you guys BFL's again?" he said smiling. Ryan knew something was up when Melissa didn't laugh. "Come here, Mel. Is everything okay?" Melissa stood paralyzed and didn't say anything. "He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?"

She knew now was the time to speak up. "No," she said quietly. It was now or never. "Are you in love with Carrie?"

Ryan sighed. "Was, Mel. I was in love with her," he said. "I knew you'd been acting strange lately. What's going on?"

Melissa fiddled with her hands. "I found the ring you gave her today in your nightstand," she said.

Ryan turned away and bit the inside of his cheek. He was clearly upset - a trait Melissa hadn't witnessed until this point. . "What were you doing going through my things?"

"I was looking for the remote to turn the tv on..."

"Bullshit" he shot back.

"It's true! I respect your things and I respect your privacy! I know you gave her that ring I'm trying not to jump to conclusions but so far the only thing I have is that you and Carrie are in love and engaged. The end. Am I wrong?" Melissa folded her arms defensively across her chest.

Ryan laughed. "You are so very wrong. Did Stu put this idea in your head?"

Melissa rolled her eyes. The accusation was annoying, but remembering that she Stu to think about aggravated her in the moment. "No."

"Whatever, Melissa." He never called her by her full name. "Look, that ring was Carrie's grandmothers engagement ring. She gave it to me when we were together and asked me to give it to her when I was ready to propose. That never happened. I thought I lost the ring, but I found it when I was moving. So, I surprised her with it today. Happy?"

She wasn't happy. Melissa wanted an easy out, but Ryan had complicated things by being straight forward with her about his previous relationship. She sat down on the bed. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Melissa replied softly.

Ryan sat down next to her. "Because I knew that this would happen. I knew that you would get insecure. I wanted to keep Carrie out of this, Mel. You didn't need to know any of this. I don't want you to look at her and think of her and I together. I didn't want you to go through what I have to go through with you and Stu almost every damn day." Melissa bit her nails in nervousness and stared at the carpet of their hotel room. "Do you have any idea how hard it is seeing you talk to him?" Melissa shook her head. "It's really hard. I know how much you cared about him and what that relationship meant to you. I would never forbid you to see him. That's not my style."

"I'm so sorry," she said. Melissa couldn't believe she had been so foolish. Sleeping with Stu was the worst thing she had ever done. If Ryan found out, he'd be absolutely devastated. Melissa was his world and he had proved that to her tonight by the lengths he had gone to protect her.

Ryan draped his arm around her bare shoulders. "Hey," he whispered. "It's ok. You didn't know." He pulled her close to him, tightening his grip on her shoulder. "I should've said something about the ring. I want you to be able to trust me as much as I trust you. Are we good?" Melissa nodded. "Good, because you should be punished for going through my things."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for all the great reviews! I'm especially curious to hear what you all think of this chapter and where the story is headed! I appreciate all your kind words. Thanks!<strong>


	40. Traded

Carrie sat at her sewing machine fiddling with the sapphire ring on her left hand. "Hey Mel, do you have a spare black bobbin? I don't want to have to wind another one with all this material on my lap."

The girls had been given the task of starting work on the Wrestlemania outfits. Carrie was putting together the Undertaker's new cloak while Melissa was saddled with the responsibility of the Diva's Hall of Fame dresses. Melissa had been growing frustrated at Eve and Barbie's antics over scheduling fittings. She realized they were busy, but Melissa was working on a strict deadline. "Yeah, here you go." Carrie caught Melissa eyeing her ring. "It's beautiful. Ryan said it was your grandmothers." Carrie nodded. "She must've been really special to you."

"Umm...yeah. She was a really great woman." Carrie knew she should stay out of the situation, but she couldn't help but feel responsible. "Ryan told me what happened. I'm sorry that you thought we were..."

Melissa dismissed it. "Please. Don't worry about it. It was my own insecurity."

"Ryan's in love with you. You have nothing to worry about."

Melissa smiled weakly. Carries serious tone had taken Melissa aback. She never realized just how much Ryan confided in Carrie about their relationship. She just assumed that when Carrie was in the picture, Melissa was out of it. Before she could respond, Ryan entered the room looking upset. "Mel, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Visible panic settled over Melissa. She was convinced that he knew about her rendezvous with Stu. "Sure." Melissa followed Ryan out of the office.

Ryan paced back and forth as he spoke. "I'm being trade over to Raw tonight."

"That's great!" Melissa squeaked. She was mostly relieved that her secret was safe, but also, Raw was the better show and better for his career. Ryan's miserable expression didn't change. "I take it you're not too happy about it? What's wrong?"

"It just complicates things for us. It's one less day that you and I get to spend together."

Melissa's mind immediately jumped to all the extra time she would get to spend with Stu. "It's ok. I mean...we don't really see each other now since we're both so busy here. Besides, maybe this is good. Maybe this way we can just concentrate on us and not worry about the business so much."

Ryan ran his hand over his face. "I'm always worried about the business, Mel."

Melissa placed her hands on his shoulders to get his attention. "Then you should see this as a great opportunity because they're obviously seeing something special in you if they're bringing you over to Raw. Have they mentioned what they're going to do with you at all?"

"No. I'll probably just get lost in the shuffle like Reks and Hawkins." Melissa saw Stu approaching them with a smile plastered on his face. Melissa shot him look that would indicate he should return at another time, but he just hung in the background. "I don't have a good feeling about this. Something just isn't sitting right with me."

"Look, after the program you guys put on over here it only makes sense to break things up a little bit. Instead of having you and TJ turn on each other, which is what always happens, they're just separating you guys to work different story lines." Ryan was staring down at the ground. Melissa put his hands on his face and turned him towards her. "Hey, let's not jump to any conclusions, okay?"

Carrie exited the office, almost bumping in to the couple. "I have to run out to Joann's an pick up another machine needle. This fabric keeps destroying all of mine. You'll be okay here for a bit without me, right?"

Melissa laughed. "Yeah. I'm not even sure why they still have you with me. I can handle the work."

Carrie smiled. "Good. I'll be back in a bit then."

"How long are you going to be gone?" Ryan asked.

"Maybe like half an hour." Carrie shrugged. "Yelp says there's a Joann's just down the road."

"Can I come with you? I need to decompress for a minute."

Carrie and Melissa were both confused by his statement. Carrie looked over at Melissa for approval, but Melissa just shrugged. "Uhh...sure. Let's go."

Melissa leaned against the wall and watched Ryan and Carrie head off together. "Okay, you can come out now," she said, half smiling.

Stu sauntered over towards. "Thank goodness, I thought they'd never leave," he said returning the smile. Stu bent down to kiss her, but Melissa pulled back and walked in towards the office. "That's not quite the reaction I was expecting. Especially considering what I did today." He took a seat at her sewing machine while Melissa leaned against the wall in front of him.

"You know we need to be careful," she said crossing her arms in front of her. "And what did you do today, dare I ask?"

"I'm the reason that your boyfriend has been traded to Raw." Stu was very proud of this statement. If Melissa wasn't going to take matters into her own hands, then he would have to force her hand to make some moves.

"Stu, you're giving me a headache." Melissa walked over to her desk and picked up her water bottle, taking a sip.

"What? You're not happy about that?" Stu was confused. He thought that Melissa wanted a way out.

"I would've preferred that you just let me handle this." Melissa was aggravated. She knew it was unfair to make Stu wait, but she was still sorting through her own business. He was the one who decided he wanted to continue seeing her while she still traveled and spent her nights with Ryan.

"Look, sweetheart, you're doing a horrible job of handling it. And, frankly, I can't wait much longer for you to come to your senses." Stu stood up and walked over towards her. "I'm a very patient man, Mel, but you need to tell me if this isn't going to happen. I don't feel right about what we're doing, but these are the choices you have given me."

Melissa returned his stern tone. "I didn't tell you to have Ryan traded over to Raw. You decided that for yourself."

"Now you're giving me a headache. Figure out what you want, Mel. And don't call me until then."

* * *

><p>"It's not as bad as you're making it out to be, Ry. You're probably going to get a lot more opportunity to prove yourself. They wouldn't have made a big deal about drafting you over to Raw if they didn't expect you to make a splash, right?" Carrie was trying to pull a positive out of Ryan's situation.<p>

"Yeah, I just have a funny feeling about all this. Something about it isn't sitting right with me." Ryan turned to Carrie and smiled. "Thanks for listening to me Care Bear."

Carrie smiled. "Wow. You haven't called me Care Bear in a long time."

"Well, you stopped talking to me for a long time." Ryan shot back.

Carrie pulled the car into the parking lot and put the car in park. "I know. It was just..."

"You don't need to say anything," Ryan interrupted. "I know I was an ass. Everything sort of spiraled out of control when NXT happened and I...I'm..."

"...I'm still in love with you," Carrie interrupted.

"...sorry...What?"

Carrie ran her hands over her face and stared out the car window. "I'm still in love with you, Ryan. It's why I'm still wearing this ring."

Ryan was dumbfounded. He hadn't given Carrie a second thought since being with Melissa. "Care...I don't know what to say." And he didn't. Ryan was partly embarrassed for how he had treated her in the past. He had never once thought that she thought there could ever be anything between them again.

Carrie bit her lip to fight back tears. "You don't have to say anything. I just can't take it anymore. I needed to say something. Melissa and I are splitting brands now. I'm going to Raw."

Ryan thought about her statement before he spoke. He didn't want to make any accusations, but he needed to know. The mystery surrounding his draft was eating away at him. "Are you the reason why I was drafted?"

"Shit...," she whispered under her breath. "I'll be right back." Carrie jumped out of the car and ran into the fabric store.

Ryan needed a few moments to contemplate everything that had happened. He was being taken away from his girlfriend and put on a show with his ex-girlfriend who still had feelings for him. There was no doubt in Ryan's mind that he was absolutely in love with Melissa, but he had always wondered what could have been with Carrie. It was his own ego and selfishness that had ended their relationship the first time around.

Ryan first met Carrie at FCW. She was doing the same job that Melissa was now - teetering between FCW and Smackdown under Terri. When he first laid eyes on her, he was taken aback by her beauty. Her long blonde hair and straight across bangs defied the Tampa humidity. The first time he struck up the courage to have a conversation with her, he could only comment on how frequently she wore the color blue. The next day, Carrie came in to find a bouquet of blue roses on her desk with a note requesting that they have dinner that night. There was no way she could refuse.

The first few weeks they were together they were inseparable. Ryan practically lived at Carrie's house. They'd stay up late watching old movies and get up early to go for runs together. As he thought back on his relationship with Carrie he realized that they were much more of a couple than he and Melissa ever were or would be. His relationship with Melissa was more about doing things for each other than doing things with each other. Ryan began to get wistful for that type of companionship again.

Ryan's heart raced as he saw Carrie exit the store and head back towards the car. She was staring at the ground, nervously clenching her car keys and purse. She opened the rear drivers side door and put her purse and purchase on the back seat. She reluctantly climbed in to the front seat and put the key in the ignition.

"I'm sorry I said anything. I need to respect..." Suddenly Ryan's lips crashed against Carrie's taking her breath away. Ryan pulled away as Carrie caught her breath. "What are you going to tell Melissa?"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for waiting so patiently for the update! Hope you enjoyed this chapter - and as always - love the feedback! Keep it coming :) Have a wonderful weekend!<strong>


	41. Communication

Melissa sat at a booth at Pinky's Dinner pouring a third cup of coffee in to her mug. The waitress, having seen the speed at which she downed the first, left a pot for her on the table. Melissa pressed the button on her phone again, illuminating the screen. It had been two days since she spoke to Stu and a little over 24 hours since she had dropped Ryan off at home. She had yet to hear from either of them. The bells on the front door of the diner jingled as the second customer of the day walked in.

Tim spotted Melissa across the way clutching the mug of coffee between her hands and slowly breathing on the hot liquid to cool it down. "Thanks for meeting me here. I appreciate it," she said looking up at him.

"Of course. It's very rare that you need something from me," he said. "I'm curious to know what this is all about."

"I bet you could figure it out if you tried," she said scoffing at her own words.

"Okay, let's see," Tim began. "You've been acting strangely lately. You're very hormonal." Melissa rolled her eyes. Tim looked under the table. "You've gained a little weight...I'd say you're pregnant. So, who's the dad? Ryan or Stu?"

Melissa kicked him under the table. "I'm not pregnant."

"Ah-HA! I was right!" Tim said pointing sharply at her. He leaned in close. "You're sleeping with Stu and you're still with Ryan."

"Is it that painfully obvious?" she asked.

"No, but I know you. And I know that the only reason you would want to meet with me is for advice. And who to better ask for advice from than someone who has been there before, right?" Melissa laughed at herself. He had completely figured her out. "I know you, Mel. You're easy. And I bet Ryan knows, too. Does he?" Melissa shook her head. "That's what you think. So, what do you want? Who do you want?" Melissa shrugged and took another sip of coffee. Tim exhaled deeply and sat back in the booth. The waitress approached the table with her pen and pad ready. "Coffee, please. Another pot." He studied Melissa's expressionless face. "I have a feeling we're going to be here for a while."

* * *

><p>Stu sat on the edge of the pool chair, rubbing sun screen up and down his arms. Three gorgeous women clad in bikinis lounged on rafts in the pool. He made frequent visits over to Heath's apartment complex to take advantage of the community swimming pool. Taking care of his new house had proved to be far more work than he imagined and his pool remained unopened.<p>

"God, those women are something', aren't they?" Heath reclined his pool chair back a few notches to shield his face under one of the surrounding trees. "They're here almost every afternoon."

"Do you come down here every afternoon and stare at these girls?" Stu asked, a hint of disgust behind his words.

"Not every day. Sometimes I can see them from my balcony," Heath responded innocently.

"That's even more perverted," Stu responded, a judgemental tone circling his words.

"Hey, man, what crawled up your ass?" Heath asked.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Stu was annoyed by Heath's questioning.

"Look, you gotta go out and get laid man." Heath pointed at the girls swimming the pool. "And I think that might be a good place to start." Heath got up from the chair and headed towards the diving board. "I'll see you in there."

Stu picked up his phone and glanced at the screen. Nothing from Melissa. Heath had already begun to make small talk with the three women in the pool. Stu put the phone, his hat, and sunglasses on the chair and walked towards the pool. "Room for one more, ladies?"

* * *

><p>"I beat you again," Carrie said, out of breath.<p>

"I let you win, again." Ryan said stabilizing himself by resting his hands on his thighs.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever," Carrie dismissed him. She walked over towards the rock that they used as a landmark for their runs. If they parked by the pavillion at the beach it was exactly a three mile run to this rock. Carrie grabbed on to the rock for balance and began stretching her calf muscles. "Thanks for coming out here with me. We haven't done this in a while."

Ryan joined her over at the rock. "Anytime. Apparently I need to step up my game. Keeping up with you is a bitch" Ryan smiled over at her.

Carrie's smile slowly faded as she thought about unfinished business. "Did you tell Melissa yet?"

Ryan lifted up the brim of his hat to wipe away the sweat that had formed during the run. "No, not yet."

Carrie started walking back down the beach towards his car. "That's what I thought."

"Care, wait!" Ryan jogged the few steps to catch up to her. "There just hasn't been a good time."

"There's never a good time, Ryan! There is never a good time to break up with your girlfriend for someone else. You just need to rip off the band aid and move on."

"I will," Ryan said picking up his pace to keep up with her.

Carrie laughed in disbelief. "Oh yeah, when?"

Ryan grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards him. "Tonight. I will tell her tonight."

* * *

><p>"Ladies, who would like another Bud Light Lime?" Heath asked the three college co-eds that now stood on his balcony. Three hands shot in to the air, but Stu's were preoccupied with his phone. He would never drink something so vile anyway. He was convinced that Heath only kept those cans of swill around to attract the beach blanket bimbos he was always bringing home.<p>

"What are you looking at?" one of the girls asked inquisitively. Stu was immediately turned off by the dark eyeliner that framed her blue eyes.

"Oh, uh, I'm just waiting for a call," he said.

"Oooh, are you an important business man or something?" she asked, pushing her breasts towards him.

Stu backed away further against the ledge of the balcony. "No. I just have plans with a friend."

Heath opened the sliding door. "Stu! Put the phone down and check on those steaks for me?" Stu rolled his eyes and walked over towards the grill, Eye Liner following closely behind.

She leaned against table connected to the grill and bit her lip seductively. "I could be your friend." Stu couldn't help but laugh over this girls ridiculous antics. Stu would never have taken this girl up on her offer in the past, present, or future.

"Excuse me, uh, what did you say your name was?" Stu asked.

Eye Liner flipped her hair to the side. "Heather," she cooed.

"Right. Heather. I'll be right back," he said. Stu walked in to Heath's kitchen and passed through the front door to the parking lot. Heath was too busy entertaining one of Heather's friends to notice he had left until after he heard the door slam. Heath ran outside and saw Stu about to get in to his car.

"Dude, what are you doing? Those chicks are crazy hot," he said.

"I have to go," Stu said getting in to his truck.

"Where? You're single. Come on, it's been months now since you and Melissa split up. Those girls are into you." Stu exhaled deeply. "Oh no. You're seeing her on the side, aren't you? This makes so much sense. You constantly checking your phone. Your weird not interested in hot chicks behavior. Are you going to meet her now because she texted you that she's free?"

"No. I'm waiting for her to end it with Ryan."

Heath grabbed on to the car door. "Newsflash, man, she's not going to get back with you. You were a dick to her. Move on. She has. You need to see that she's happy with Ryan. That's not going to change." Stu took his keys out of the ignition. "That a'boy! Upstairs there are three easy ladies waiting for us. Fish in a barrel."

* * *

><p>"If that's how you really feel then I think you know what you need to do," Tim said as he shoved another bite of pancake in to his mouth and gestured with his silverware. "You can't keep this going. And the longer it goes on, the more pissed off everyone is going to be with you at the end." Melissa bit her finger nail. "I still feel terrible about how long I led you on and everything that happened. I saw how much I hurt you in the end. Hell, I still don't know why you even bother with me." He leaned forward and looked up in to her eyes. "You're a good person, Mel. I know you're going to do the right thing. You just have to do it." The waitress dropped the check on the counter. Melissa reached for it, but Tim grabbed it away before she had the chance. "You have a lot on your mind. Besides, you didn't even eat." Tim reached back for his wallet.<p>

Melissa sighed heavily. "You're right. I don't want anyone to feel like how you made me feel."

Tim laughed. "Okay, that was a little harsh, but I get it. Someone is going to get hurt here. And if you don't hurry up, it's going to be you."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I'm really happy with this chapter and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this story. Only a few more chapters left and then I'll go back to the other story I abandoned :) Feedback is always welcome! <strong>


	42. Dolts

_Stop panicking and just sack up and do it!_ Melissa read the text from Tim and threw the phone in her passenger seat. She leaned back and ran her hands over her face. Again, she dialed Stu's number on his phone. Again, there was no answer. "Stu, it's me...again. It's Mel. Can you call me back please?" She had been sitting in her car for about 30 minutes contemplating going up to Ryan's apartment. His car was parked in it's usual spot, the lights were on, and she could see the television in the window. An episode of CSI shining through the thin curtains. _I can't do this during his favorite show_ she thought. She had to laugh at herself once she realized how dumb that all sounded. She let out a frustrated groan, grabbed her car keys and phone and headed up the stairs to the apartment. She knocked on the door twice, but Ryan never answered. She peered through the kitchen window and saw the back of his head peering up from the couch.

_I am his girlfriend,_ she thought. _I have permission to go in there._ She stuck her keys in the door and opened slowly. Carrie jumped up from the floor and Ryan followed suit, pulling up his pants at the sight of Melissa.

"Jesus Christ, Mel. What were you thinking?" he yelled. Carrie ran into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Holy shit!" Melissa was shocked. However, if she had been paying attention it shouldn't have come as a surprise. There was silence in the room as she regained her composure. "I knocked!" she yelled in defense.

"And I didn't answer!" he yelled back. Melissa stared at the ground and backed up towards the door. Ryan let out a frustrated sigh and put his hands at his sides. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

She swallowed hard. "Sorry that you yelled at me, but not sorry that I just caught you and..." she couldn't even finish her statement it was so unbelievable to her.

Ryan tried to rationalize with her, but his mind was not in the right place. "Melissa, have a seat and let's talk this out."

"No. I think I'm going to go. I need to go," she said backing up towards the door. "This makes my decision easy."

"Decision?" Ryan asked. "What the fuck do you mean by decision?"

"I slept with Stu!" she interrupted. She had to admit that the words felt horrible as she said them and after while they lingered. "I came here to tell you everything and apologize and eat shit, but, it looks like I don't have to."

Ryan took a step towards her. "You slept with Stu? When did this happen? Tonight? While we were on the road?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she said waving him away from her. "This isn't meant to be," she began. Carrie emerged from the bathroom thinking Melissa had left because it became so quiet. "I'm not mad..." she continued. "I'm just...sorry."

Carrie spoke up for the first time. "Melissa, I just want to say that I'm..."

"...No, wait just a minute, Mel," Ryan interrupted.

She turned and walked toward the door, but turned around and handed Carrie her key to Ryan's apartment. "I think you should have this," she murmured. Given the situation Melissa was being surprisingly diplomatic. Now was not the time to burn bridges. She needed these people in her corner. And with Stu in her corner again, she knew they would all be okay.

Ryan bit his lip before speaking. "I'm sorry, too." Melissa shook her head and exited the apartment breathing a huge sigh of relief. She got in her and put the key in her ignition. Tears streamed down her face. She loved Ryan, but it just wasn't right and, based on their actions, they both knew that. She had tore the band-aid off.

_Hi it's Stu, leave a message..._

Melissa hoped that she was not too late.

* * *

><p>"Dude, I need you to go. I'm about to close the deal with Heather." The very same girl that had initially been interested in Stu shifted her gaze over to Heath over the course of the night. Stu sat on the couch for most of the evening keeping the other girls occupied while Heath worked his charm. Stu made multiple attempts to be interested in what the girls were talking to him about, but he had no knowledge of Louboutin high heels or "True Blood."<p>

Stu had been looking for an out for hours, but Heath had been begging him to stay. "Great," he smiled as he jumped up and headed for the door, relieved he didn't have to endure any more of this.

"Wait. There's just one other thing." Heath glanced over at the couch where the other two girls were sitting. Stu groaned. "Come on, man. I can't have them here. I need you to get them out of here."

"Fine." There was trepidation in Stu's voice. He walked back over to the couch. "Ladies, who wants to get out of here?" Both girls raised their hands. Stu's plan was to convince them that she should bring them home or take them to a bar where he would excuse himself and then drive off.

"Where are we going Stewie?" Lisa asked as they walked towards his truck.

Stu rolled his eyes at her words. The very sound of her voice was enough to irritate him. He fake yawned and stretched his arms. "Oh, boy, 9:30. It's a little late for me. Why don't I just bring you home and be on my way?"

"No, we wanna go out," Lisa whined.

"Yeah, we wanna go out and party!" Kristin said. She was the drunker of the two girls.

"Ladies, I will gladly bring your to your bar of choice this evening." Stu opened up the car door and grabbed his phone from the center console. Fourteen missed calls from Melissa flashed up on the screen with twelve voice mails to match. He frantically typed in his code to unlock the phone and dialed her number.

Melissa sat parked in his driveway waiting for him to come home. The vibration of the phone startled her. "Hello? Stu?"

"Melissa, oh my god it is so good..." he began.

"We wanna party!" Kristin yelled again. Stu shooed them away. "Stu! We wanna party!"

"...who is that in the background?" Melissa asked.

"These dolts that Heath had over. Nevermind that. I need to see you. Where are you?"

"Dolts? Why are you still with them?" After what had just happened with Ryan, Melissa couldn't take any chances.

The whining behind him had yet to subside. He rubbed his temples at the frustration. "Get me out of here. Where are you?"

"I'm at your house. I was waiting for you to come home."

"I'll be there soon." Stu said quickly and hung up the phone. He turned to Kristin and Lisa. "Sorry ladies, you're on your own." Stu climbed into his truck and sped out of the parking lot of Heath's apartment complex. He needed to get home to Melissa.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I think most of you will be happy with this chapter. Thanks so much for reading. I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing for you all to read. This was the first story I've written and it means so much me that you guys have stuck with it this far. Please let me know what you think. I'm always looking for ways to improve and please my audience :) Thanks!<strong>


	43. Dinosaur

Melissa's eyes traced the patterns of the textured ceiling in Stu's bedroom. She didn't remember the lines being there before. In her blurred vision she was only able to make out a few squiggles, nothing of any significance. Her attention turned to the sound of the bathroom door opening and Stu emerging, a blue cotton towel wrapped tightly around his waist. When he had asked her if she wanted to join him in the shower, she declined. He dropped the towel to the floor and climbed in beside her already naked body. He slowly ran a finger over her exposed nipple.

"I missed you," she said, still staring up at the ceiling, unable to look him in the eye. They hadn't spoken since he arrived back at his home and ran to meet her on the front steps. She had been waiting fifteen minutes since they got off the phone, feverishly glancing at her watch wondering if she made the right choice. She turned to look at him and smiled. Melissa had made the right choice.

He rolled over on top of her and kissed gently along her collarbone. He was far more gentle this time around than when he first saw her. The kiss he had placed on her lips could be best described as animalistic; like she was his prey. Stu had started to undress her before even unlocking the front door. He had needed to show her that he had his control back and she belonged to him again. He had slammed the door shut and pressed her back up against it, wrapping her legs around his waist. He had quickly pushed her panties over to one side as she undid his pants and released him from the confines of his boxers. Breathlessly, he pushed inside of her. A few slow, hard thrusts was all it took to shake him to his very core. "Meet me upstairs?" he asked as he walked away take a shower.

The whole exchange didn't sit right with Melissa. "Stu?"

"Yes, love?" he asked between applying kisses to her stomach. He felt her breathe deeply as a response. "Is everything ok?"

Melissa sat up. "Yeah...

Stu dismissed her with a slight laugh. "You're not very convincing. What's the matter?"

"How is this all going to play out?" she asked.

"We take it one day at a time," he said. "There's no need to rush anything. Is there?" She smiled mischievously. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No, not at all. I think I was expecting this to feel different in some way," she said.

Stu laughed. "This does feel a little strange, doesn't it?" She nodded. "Get dressed," he said. "Let's go out."

* * *

><p>Melissa wandered around Stu's living room waiting for him to get ready.. She moved to sit in the new plush navy sofa that faced the television when something caught her eye. She bent down and saw a framed photo of the two of them. It was the only photo she had seen in his house. She picked it up and stared at it. The photo was taken on her first assignment with WWE, the European tour. In the photo she was wearing that orange scarf, her arms wrapped around his neck. They were smiling at each other with their noses slightly touching. She remembered him taking that photo with his phone and having to take multiple shots before they got it right. The wind kept blowing her hair in her face and each ridiculous shot made her laugh more and more. Her eyes were closed from laughing, but he was staring at her and she could see the love that he had for her in his eyes.<p>

"I love that photo," he said. She turned to see him standing behind the sofa. His hair was slick and he had changed into a smart black polo and jeans.

"Me too," she said. "I have an idea," she said grabbing his hand and leading him out to the car.

The drive to Ace Golf was a short ride from Stu's home. "I've never been here before," he said as she pulled into the parking lot. "What's your poison, love? Mini-golf or batting cages."

"I know how competitive you are," she said laughing. "Let's start out with the batting cages."

"Baseball is my only athletic weakness," he said.

"Oh, that's too bad," she said. "I played softball throughout high school and college," she said. Melissa handed him a baseball bat and helmet. "Batter up."

The first few pitches sent to Stu were way too low. "I thought mini golf was later," he joked..

"Hang on," she said. "I'll hit these ones and I'll reset for you." Melissa quickly jumped in and hit the first pitch that was thrown at her. Stu's competitive nature subsided as he stood outside the cage to cheer her on. Melissa hit the next five in a row, each one with a little more power than previously. "Sorry, it's been a while. I'm a little rusty," she joked.

"You're doing great!" She hit the last pitch which smacked hard against the net at the end of the cage. "I can do better."

"Oh, by all means, Mr. Bennett, show us your finest batting skills," she said.

The first pitch flew right by him, earning a slight laugh from Melissa. "Ball one."

"Strike one, nerd," she argued.

He pointed the bat at her. "We will have none of that language. This is a family place," he said. The next ball zoomed right by him.

"Strike two."

"Alright, that's enough now. You're too distracting," he said. Stu swung way too low at the next pitch and missed completely.

"Strike three. Hopefully you'll have better luck with mini-golf," she said.

He opened the door to the batting cage and sauntered up next to her. "That's ok. You'll just get punished later for that." He bent down and placed a kiss on her lips.

"Promise?" she asked. "And what happens when I beat you at mini golf?"

Stu laughed. "That's not going to happen."

"Care to make it interesting, Mr. Bennett?" She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Nope. I believe you will absolutely destroy me."

"Well, hello!" Stu and Melissa turned their attention to a couple approaching them from across the parking lot. "What are you two doing here?" Tim asked.

"Whooping Stu's ass," Melissa said.

"You didn't do the batting cages with her, did you?" Tim asked. "You know she played softball for like five years!"

"It was seven," Melissa clarified as she flexed her biceps.

"Anyway, you guys know Ivelisse." Tim motioned to the beautiful blonde standing next to him. Melissa had dressed her as Sofia Cortez many times through FCW. After exchanging pleasantries Ivelisse excused herself to use the bathroom and Stu went to get Melissa a bottle of water. Tim and Melissa stood watching a young dad teach his six year old son how to swing a bat. "You look really happy, Mel. I'm guessing you made your choice."

"It was easy," she said.

"You've never let a man fight for you before," Tim said.

Melissa scoffed at him. "What are you talking about?"

"You never let me fight for you. You never really gave Ryan a shot. You made the right choice. And he's obviously very much in love with you too." Tim pointed at Stu who was sauntering back over with two bottles of water, a giant stuffed dinosaur, and a huge smile on his face. He handed the soft green creature to Melissa.

"Please tell me you won this at the strong man contest."

"Of course," he smiled flexing his muscles at her. "See? This is how you flex."

"I am going to destroy you at mini golf, Stuart Bennett," she said laughing.

Ivelisse wrapped her arm around Tim. "Want to give the batting cages a shot?" he asked her. "Have fun, you two."

Melissa held the stuffed dinosaur out at an arm's length. "I think we should call him Heath," she said and took off running towards the mini-golf stand.

"Oh, It's on now!"

* * *

><p><strong>Just a little quick introduction back into the lives of Melissa and Stu. I'll admit - I've been struggling with this chapter. I'd like to thank shakeitsalome for her awesome words of wisdom and encouraging me to pick this back up. Even if this chapter wasn't worth the wait more is coming! And per usual I'd love to know your thoughts and feelings. Thanks everyone!<strong>


	44. Pancakes

"Are you nervous, love?"

Melissa rolled over towards the Englishman. "Not anymore," she said, a smile across her face. "There is nothing left to be nervous about." Stu reached for the hand resting on her stomach and entwined his fingers with hers. "This part is easy," she said squeezing his hand.

Knowing her propensity for not expressing her true feelings, he raised an eyebrow in her direction. "You're going to need to say a little more than that."

"Lying in bed here. It's just easy. We both knew this would work, but it's even better now with a clean slate...Right?"

He nodded as a sheepish grin spread across his features. "If this is so easy, let's just stay in bed all day," he suggested snuggling into the crook of her neck. "Don't even tell me you have a million things to do today because I know that's not true. We're four days out from a pay pay view with no weekend shows." He kissed her neck. "Let's just enjoy this."

Throwing the covers back, she quickly jumped out of bed. "I'll make us some pancakes." Stu chuckled slightly making Melissa feel self-conscious. She walked over to the stuffed dinosaur he had won her the night before. "What's that dinosaur? Oh! You want me to make you pancakes? Stu, if the dinosaur wants pancakes then I have to make pancakes. Sorry dinosaur rules." Melissa always laughed at her own jokes even when no one else did.

"You're going to make me regret winning you that thing." Stu rolled over on his side and shut his eyes.

She covered the dinosaurs' ears. "Stu! He can hear you!" He peeked over at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he grinned. "Just you." Her inability to sit still would always be endearing. Feeling his gaze on her, she quickly slipped on one of his t-shirts and head downstairs. He heard a few cabinet doors clang open and shut as she searched for ingredients and bake wear. It took a call out to him for help to finally make him leave the comfort of his bed.

He found Melissa crouched almost inside one of the kitchen cabinets. "What can I find for you, my love?" he asked. She rattled off a list of ingredients and, to her surprise, he was able to locate each one as it was called out to him. "There. Anything else?" he asked as he placed the can of cooking spray on the counter next to her.

"A bowl?" she asked.

"A bowl," he mimicked as he reached into the cabinet directly above her. A slight moan escaped her lips as he pressed himself against her. She turned her attention back to the items on the counter. "Is that what you needed?" he whispered into her ear as his hands massaged her shoulders. Her breathy moan was all the confirmation he needed. His lips trailed from her ear down to her shoulder and she felt herself losing control at each soft kiss. "Melissa?"

"Yes?" She felt his hands and his lips leave her, but it took her a moment to settle back into reality. "Yes?" she asked again. "Stu?"

"Melissa," he said. "this part is easy..." The sound of her cell phone vibrated aggressively on the counter disrupting their conversation.

"Shit," she said. "It's Catie. Probably wondering why I'm not at kickboxing this morning." Melissa reached the phone, the deafening sound of sirens in the background caught her off guard. "Catie?" she asked. "Catie, slow down." Stu stood up from his position on the floor. "Well, is he okay? We're on our way. Love you." Melissa eyes welled up with tears when she saw the look of devastation on Stu's face. "Matt's been in a car accident." She ran up the stairs back to Stu's room to get changed. "He's at St. Joseph's," she called out after him.

* * *

><p>Catie sat in the waiting room of the St. Joseph's Hospital Emergency Room. Matt's sweatshirt was draped across her lap keeping her exposed legs warm against the harshness of the hospital air conditioning. She looked up just as Melissa and Stu ran through the automatic doors, her eyes meeting Melissa's almost immediately.<p>

"Catie!" Melissa ran over towards her and enveloped her in a tight hug. "What are they saying? Is he going to be okay?"

"What happened?" Stu echoed her concern.

Catie wiped her nose with the tissue that was torn and tattered from being clutched tightly in her hand. "The driver ran a red light over by Oak Lawn off Clearfield Ave. I found out when his mom called me. She's on the next flight out." Melissa nodded. "Carrie! Ryan!"

"We got here as soon as we could," Carrie greeted. "How are you, honey?"

"Is he okay?" Ryan followed. Catie shared what little she knew with the newest arrivals before one of the physicians asked to speak to her privately.

Stu possessively wrapped his arm around Melissa's waist, but she cautiously shrugged him away. "It's not about us," she whispered to him. He couldn't fault her for wanting to make her friend the focus of this horrible situation. The tension between the two couples palpable with neither having anything to see to the other. "Do you want a coffee?" Stu nodded. "I'll be right back."

The chair in the opposite corner of the room beckoned Stu. After thumbing through a stack of magazines, he turned his attention to the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. Anything was better than having to explain himself to Ryan. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched a quiet exchange between Ryan and Carrie unfold that sent Ryan begrudgingly in the direction Melissa had gone. Carrie looked over at Stu, but he quickly diverted his eyes back in the magazine. He lifted the magazine in front of his face to cover the sigh that he couldn't hide.

"I know you think I'm a bad person," she began as she took the seat directly next to him. Stu didn't look up from his magazine. "In fact..."

"Now is not the time to be doing this, Carrie. I don't have anything to discuss with you. Besides, this is about Matt and Catie right now." Carrie nodded when she realized Stu had a point. Although he wouldn't have made that last comment if Melissa hadn't pointed it out to him. His tone softened when he saw a tear slide down Carrie's cheek. "How are things with you?"

* * *

><p>The palm of Melissa's hand hurt from the number of times she had smacked the automatic coffee machine. She knew that hospitals had them because it was the most sanitary way to prepare coffee for loved ones in the waiting room, but her first two tries at getting the caffeinated substance out failed. After receiving a watery cup full of grinds, she tossed the cup in the trash and searched for more quarters in her purse.<p>

"I hate those machines," Ryan greeted.

Melissa glanced up at him briefly before putting three quarters in the machine. "Yeah, this is proving to be more difficult than I thought."

"You're not going to pick coffee again, are you?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, why?"

Ryan shook his head in disdain. "You always do that. You always go back and make the same choices again and again even when things didn't work out the first time."

"You could say the same thing for yourself, couldn't you?" For the third time she pressed the button for coffee. The cup dropped from the top of the machine and the steamy liquid filled the cup, almost perfectly. "Third time's a charm, I guess," she shrugged. "I realized I never officially congratulated you. When's the wedding?"

"Middle of July. She's already going crazy with the planning." An eye roll was all the indication she needed that this engagement was an unnecessary source of stress for Ryan.

"Yeah, that sounds like her." Ryan nodded in agreement, but he wouldn't have if he knew that Melissa was referring to the "crazy" part of his comment and not Carrie's desire for control and perfection.

A relieved looking Catie entered back into the waiting room. Both Ryan and Melissa turned their attention to her. "He's stable," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "They're bringing him into surgery now for his ankle and they'll keep him overnight for observation, but he's going to be fine."

Melissa squeezed her shoulder. "We'll drop by your place and pick up some things for you."

Catie forced a smile. "You're the best, Mel. Thanks. I appreciate it."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for being so patient and for all the wonderful reviews. You're all so great! I love your feedback and it really helps me :) <strong>


	45. Elevation

Stu had chauffeured Melissa around to run errands for Catie. Unsure of how long Catie would be at Matt's side she packed a set of comfortable clothes and threw a few granola bars in the bag for good measure. Not wanting Catie to return to a messy house, she washed the rest of the dishes in the sink. The counter was covered in water and a dish rag had fallen to the floor. Melissa's mind wandered at the realization that Catie got the call about Matt during this routine task.

After her experience with the coffee machine in the hospital, she asked Stu to stop at Starbucks so she could buy Catie a proper cup of coffee.

"You're a really good friend, you know that?" Stu offered as she shut the car door.

Melissa shrugged. "You know they would do the same if, um..." She struggled to say the words.

"Right," he said as a more somber tone took over. "In any event, she's awful lucky to have you."

"Have us," she countered. "You've been driving me around all afternoon."

"Fair enough. Any other stops before the hospital, love?"

"No," she said. "But I'd like you to just drop me off. I just want to be there for Catie until he wakes up. She shouldn't have to be alone right now."

"Well, what about me? What am I supposed to do?" Melissa laughed at his childish antics. "Well, I mean, I'm just going to be bored with no one around."

"Take that as an opportunity to rest and be lazy, Stuart." Playfully, she ruffled his hair. "You deserve some time off. Enjoy it. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

He leaned in slowly for a kiss. "And I am very fond of you."

His words tingled on her skin. "I'll call you with updates. Love you."

"Love you," he called after her. His eyes followed her as she made her way through the automatic doors of the hospital. It was a few short steps, but given the events of the day he wanted to make sure she was safe for as long as possible.

Melissa rounded the corner of the hallway into the Emergency Room and immediately laid eyes on Carrie and Ryan. He stood up from his seat as Melissa made her way over. "We were just keeping her company until you came back, Mel. We didn't think it was right that she wait here alone, you know?"

"I know," Melissa nodded. "I'm sure she appreciates it as much as I do. I can take it from here." She brushed past him offering the iced coffee to her grieving friend.

Catie was able to muster a smile when saying goodbye to Ryan and Carrie. Melissa could tell that it was more for them than herself. Inside Melissa knew she was struggling. "You didn't get anything for yourself?" Catie asked gesturing to the coffee.

"No, I had that shitty hospital coffee earlier. I'm all jacked up on caffeine already. How are you doing, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, actually," Catie sighed. "It's just a relief to know that he is going to be okay. It's also a relief that Ryan and Carrie took off. She's so weird, Mel."

"I wouldn't say weird so much as I would say...backstabbing? I think thats the nicest way I can put it right now."

Catie snickered before going back to chewing on the straw of her iced coffee. "Come on, Mel. Say what you really want to say."

"She actually did me a favor. Despite all the crazy things that have happened with Stu, I'm much happier with him. Anyway, let's talk about..."

"I don't want to talk about what's going on here. Tell me what the hell happened with you guys."

"Well, I caught Ryan and Carrie 'in the act' so to speak..." She grimaced thinking back on her own behavior. "But that was after I slept with Stu." Catie covered her mouth in shock. "Yeah, not my best moment. Ryan and I were having problems and Stu had insisted we talk about our problems. I've been doing a lot of talking lately." Her fingers lightly massaged her temples in reflection. "Ryan getting back together with Carrie just made it so much easier for me to go running back to Stu, which I had wanted to do anyway. And he took me back."

Catie's wide eyed expression solidified her thoughts on the matter. "You're playing a very dangerous game."

"I hope it's fucking over," Melissa snickered. "This has just been so exhausting."

"Shit, Mel. Does Stu know that you were planning on staying with Ryan?" Catie was perched on the edge of her seat in anticipation of the answer.

"No, and he doesn't need to." Melissa looked around the emergency room for a familiar face. "I was planning on staying with Ryan because I felt like I owed it to him, you know?"

Catie nodded in understanding. "Out of all of Matt's friends, I always liked Stu the most. He was always the most loyal and dependable. I adored every girl he dated. I liked Karen a lot, but you're by far my favorite."

"Thanks, Cat," she smiled.

The doors to the emergency area swung open and a casually dressed man approached them. The only identifying factor as to who this mean was was the stethoscope slung around his neck. "Ms. Walker?" Catie nodded. "Matt's in recovery after surgery. They're moving him up to the sixth floor now. We're going to keep him here for a day or so under observation because there was a little internal bleeding. We're not too worried about it, but no point in sending him home just yet. You ladies can go up and see him now if you like." Catie breathed a sigh of relief. "Honestly, he's going to be just fine, Ms. Walker."

"You ready to go up and see him?" Melissa asked.

Tentatively, Catie nodded. "Yeah. I think so. I'm always so bad in hospitals."

"Well, try hard to keep it together for him. You can squeeze my hand if you're having trouble and I'll talk to him while you compose your thoughts." Melissa grabbed the bags she had brought for Catie and escorted her towards the elevator.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened up. Once shut, Catie wrapped her arms around Melissa and buried her face in her shoulder. "Thank you, Mel. I'm so glad I didn't have to go through this alone." Melissa squeezed her tighter as Catie began to sob.

"Of course, sweetie." She held Catie out at arms length. "Now, pretty yourself up. He's going to be so happy to finally see you." Melissa used the edge of her cuff to wipe the tears from under Catie's eyes.

After checking with the nurses station to see which room Matt was in, they were given permission to enter room 622. Matt lay there, his legs elevated by the hospital bed. He appeared almost folded in half. Melissa squeezed Catie's hand as they entered the room, but Catie's emotions quickly took over her.

"Hey babe," he whispered when he turned to see her. Melissa nodded in her direction coaxing her to walk over to the bed. "It's so great to lay eyes on you." Catie walked over to his bedside, but was speechless.

"Hey Matt, how are you feeling?" Melissa greeted. "You don't look so bad," she joked. In fact, Matt's face had a few cuts that had been cleaned up well and bruises traveled up his arms from both the accident and the various IV's he had been subjected to.

"You should see the other guy." A smile pulled at his lips. "Has she been with you the whole time?" Catie nodded. "I'm glad you didn't have to wait for me alone."

Catie broke down into sobs. "I was so worried about you."

Matt created space for Catie on the bed and patted the mattress beside him. "I'm fine. Doc says I'll just be in here for a few days and then I can go home where you can wait on me hand and foot," he joked.

"I'm going to wait outside," Melissa said. "Matt, I'm glad to see you're feeling better and everything went well. Catie, I'll be right outside if you need anything."

Matt flashed her a thumbs up. "Thanks, Mel. I know how much she hates hospitals," he said.

Once out the door, Melissa heard Catie absolutely break down about Matt's state while he did his best to calm her down. She picked a seat across from the nurses station and began to thumb through her phone. It was the first time that day her thoughts had a moment to settle and she found herself feeling alone. Hospitals made her nervous, too. They were a place for bad news, a place where nothing good happened. And in that moment she wished to never find herself in the same position as Catie; waiting for updates on a loved one and holding on to that small glimmer of hope that everyone else around her was preaching.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" Stu's voice boomed. She jumped up from her seat and ran over to him, embracing him tightly, and almost knocking the grocery bag from his hand. His free hand grabbed onto her shoulder. "What's this for?"

"No special reason," she cooed into his chest. Knowing she had people counting on her, she was quick to regain her composure. Stu handed her the grocery bag. "Did you bring us lunch? What a stud!"

He peered behind her and into the hospital room. "Have you seen Matt yet?"

"Yeah, Catie's in with him now. I thought it was best I give them some space. She's been pretty emotional about this" Stu nodded. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we leave these with them and I'll take you to dinner. I don't really want to be in the hospital anymore."

"It's been a long day for you," he said rubbing the small of her back..

"Yes, it has," she smiled as she nodded. That was one of the things Stu loved about her. She had this ability to smile through even the most exhausting and stressful situations. This was yet another one of those times she put everything aside for someone else.

"I'm going to go say hi to Matt." He gestured towards the room. "I'll drop off my gift and we can take off." He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

* * *

><p>"I thought we'd go to that sushi place you loved so much in St. Pete," he suggested. "I don't know if you remember, but..."<p>

"...it was one of our first dates," she interrupted. "I remember it like it was yesterday. That was also the first time I saw your apartment. That poor, poor excuse for an apartment."

"Mind yourself, sweetheart. Besides, I have a beautiful home now that I am going to share with you someday soon." Melissa flashed him a smile. 'What?" he said. "You're not going to have another anxiety attack again, are you?"

"Not this time." She rolled down the window as they drove across Old Tampa Bay taking in the salt water smells of the ocean. "I saw you painted my craft room yellow for me."

"Did I just hear you refer to it as 'my craft room?'" he asked. "Well, too late. It's now my Preston memorabilia room."

"Then you painted it the wrong color, sweetheart," she joked.

"I did?" A small laugh escaped her lips. "Well, then I guess it can be your craft room."

"Thank you," she said.

"Whatever it takes, love," he winked in her direction. "I'll just move all the mighty PNE stuff into the living room, then."

"I am so excited for some salmon sashimi!" Melissa exited the car and made a bolt for the entrance to the restaurant. She reached behind her to grasp Stu's hand as she walked towards the entrance, but he wasn't behind her. "Stu?" No response. "Stu?" She made her way over to the truck and peeked inside, but he was nowhere to be found. Afraid he would jump out and scare her, she tentatively walked around the back of the truck to the driver's side. "...what? What are you doing?"

Stu was down on one knee with a small black box in his right hand. "I couldn't wait any longer," he whispered. "I had it all planned out for this morning, but the day took a different turn." The look of shock on her face had been taken over by the tears streaming down her face. "I knew when I met you a few months ago that you would be a very important person in my life, but I had no idea I was capable of falling this deeply in love with someone." Stu opened the box revealing a one carat Tacori diamond solitaire ring. "Melissa Marie Anderson, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" She ran over to him. Stu stood up on his feet and embraced her when she jumped into his arms. "This was perfect. You're perfect. And it's absolutely beautiful."

Proud of himself, he breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you think so, love."

"I don't even know what else to say," she said laughing. Her emotions had completely taken over the situation.

"You've already said everything I needed you to say."

* * *

><p><strong>Phew! Well, that took forever! I want to thank everyone for their reviews and for everyone that favorited and followed this story while I was on hiatus. I hope you all enjoyed this update! I'm hoping to update my other story very soon as well! Super special thanks to shakeitsalome and xj0j0x for their endless support! <strong>


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